What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N880Z, a Learjet 35A, impacted
Terrain in a residential area, killing all 4 persons on board. The aircraft was conducting a base leg turn to final approach for runway 27R at san diego-gillespie field, California (see). The aircraft impact was in a residential area of El Cajon, san diego, 2.6 km east of the runway threshold. The crew conducted an RNAV rwy 17 approach to see. At 19:08 gillespie tower cleared the flight to land on runway 17. At 19:11 the flight contacted gillespie tower, cancelling their IFR clearance and requesting to fly over the field and conduct a left pattern to runway 27R.
This was approved and the tower controller cleared the flight for a left hand traffic pattern for runway 27R. The flight crew then requested the runway lights to be turned up, to which the controller replied that "they are at a 100% now". The weather report showed conditions were; wind variable at 5 knots, visibility 3 statute miles, broken ceiling at 2000 feet, overcast 2600 feet.
Radar information reported the aircraft flying over the airport and into a left hand traffic pattern at 600 feet MSL, 300 feet AGL, and groundspeeds initially at 150 knots and decreasing to 130 knots as flight altitude increased to 900 feet as the aircraft tracked over rising terrain east of the airport.
As the FAA filed it
N880Z, A LEARJET 35A, IMPACTED
TERRAIN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, KILLING ALL 4 PERSONS ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A BASE LEG TURN TO FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 27R AT SAN DIEGO-GILLESPIE FIELD, CALIFORNIA (SEE). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF EL CAJON, SAN DIEGO, 2.6 KM EAST OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE CREW CONDUCTED AN RNAV RWY 17 APPROACH TO SEE. AT 19:08 GILLESPIE TOWER CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. AT 19:11 THE FLIGHT CONTACTED GILLESPIE TOWER, CANCELLING THEIR IFR CLEARANCE AND REQUESTING TO FLY OVER THE FIELD AND CONDUCT A LEFT PATTERN TO RUNWAY 27R.
THIS WAS APPROVED AND THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED THE FLIGHT FOR A LEFT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 27R. THE FLIGHT CREW THEN REQUESTED THE RUNWAY LIGHTS TO BE TURNED UP, TO WHICH THE CONTROLLER REPLIED THAT "THEY ARE AT A 100% NOW". THE WEATHER REPORT SHOWED CONDITIONS WERE; WIND VARIABLE AT 5 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 3 STATUTE MILES, BROKEN CEILING AT 2000 FEET, OVERCAST 2600 FEET.
RADAR INFORMATION REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER THE AIRPORT AND INTO A LEFT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN AT 600 FEET MSL, 300 FEET AGL, AND GROUNDSPEEDS INITIALLY AT 150 KNOTS AND DECREASING TO 130 KNOTS AS FLIGHT ALTITUDE INCREASED TO 900 FEET AS THE AIRCRAFT TRACKED OVER RISING TERRAIN EAST OF THE AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.