20090411004649A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · San Diego, CA · April 11, 2009

Date: April 11, 2009 · 10:55 local
Place: San Diego, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7690P
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09FA192
Reported as: Piper PA24250
Reported engine: Lycoming O540A1D5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N7690PRegistration cancelled May 9, 2013 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-2900 · Built 1961 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On April 11, 2009, about 1054 pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N7690P, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced an in-flight breakup during an uncontrolled descent, in San Diego, California. Airplane wreckage was located on a hillside about 5 1/2 miles east of the miramar marine corps air station. The airplane was destroyed during the breakup sequence and post impact ground fire, and the private pilot and passenger were killed. An instrument flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The flight originated from the whiteman airport (whp), los angles, California, about 1004. The pilot's instrument flight plan and clearance was to the brown field municipal airport (sdm) in San Diego.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 11, 2009, ABOUT 1054 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-24-250, N7690P, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON A HILLSIDE ABOUT 5 1/2 MILES EAST OF THE MIRAMAR MARINE CORPS AIR STATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED DURING THE BREAKUP SEQUENCE AND POST IMPACT GROUND FIRE, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE KILLED. AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE WHITEMAN AIRPORT (WHP), LOS ANGLES, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1004. THE PILOT'S INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN AND CLEARANCE WAS TO THE BROWN FIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (SDM) IN SAN DIEGO.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09FA192Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSan Diego, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain control during an en route cruise descent through multiple cloud layers, resulting in an in-flight breakup.Apr 11, 2009 · Destroyed