# Accident 20090411004649A: Piper PA24250, San Diego, CA, April 11, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2009, 10:55 local time
- Place: San Diego, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8864° N, 117.0472° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8864&lon=-117.0472&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7690P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7690P-2013-05-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24250
- Reported engine: LYC O540A1D5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09FA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA192) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090411004649A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09FA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA192), Apr 11, 2009: Piper PA-24-250 (N7690P), San Diego, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control during an en route cruise descent through multiple cloud layers, resulting in an in-flight breakup.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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