What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 8, 2023, about 0414 pacific daylight time, a Cessna 550, privacy data omitted, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Murrieta, California. The two pilots and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight.
Preliminary automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and air traffic control (ATC) communication showed that the airplane departed French Valley Airport, (F70), Murrieta, about 2118, and landed at harry reid international airport (las), las vegas, Nevada, about 2204, the night prior to the accident. About 0316, the ADS-B data showed that the airplane departed las. After climbout, the airplane leveled off at an altitude of about 19,000 ft mean sea level (MSL). About 58 miles north of F70, the airplane started the descent and the pilot checked in with ATC, cancelling his instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported to ATC that they received updated weather and requested an IFR clearance for the RNAV approach to runway 18 at F70.
The pilot was cleared direct tiqmu (initial approach fix) and instructed to maintain 6,000 ft mean sea level (MSL). The pilot was then cleared at or above 4,600 ft MSL until tiqmu and then for the RNAV approach. The pilot reported that he was established on the approach at tiqmu and was then given instructions to switch to the F70 common traffic advisory frequency. Adsb data showed that during the final approach, the airplane descended to about 1,600 ft MSL, and then executed a missed approach. The pilot checked back in with the controller and requested to be vectored back for another instrument approach. He was told to comply with
Published missed approach instructions and to maintain 5,000 ft MSL. The data showed that the airplane proceeded direct to the jesex waypoint (published missed approach holding fix)
And the pilot was cleared again for the RNAV approach to runway 18. ADS-B data showed that the airplane crossed tiqmu at 4,600 ft MSL, and while on final approach, the airplane
Descended below the decision altitude for the approach, which was 1,600 ft MSL. The last recorded ADS-B data point indicated that the airplane was on a heading about 192°, with a ground speed about 128 knots, and an altitude of about 1,450 ft MSL.
The airplane impacted terrain about 800 ft short of the runway 18 threshold. The initial impact
Point was aligned along an extended centerline of the runway. The airplane came to rest about
100 Ft past the initial impact point. A post impact fire consumed most of the fuselage. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the 400 ft long wreckage debris path.
At 0335, the automated weather observing system (AWOS) at F70 reported in part, clear sky and visibility of 10 statute miles (sm). At 0355, the reported weather was an overcast ceiling at 300 ft, and visibility of 3/4 sm. At 0411, reported weather showed the visibility had reduced to 1/2 sm and fog.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for future examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 8, 2023, ABOUT 0414 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 550, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR MURRIETA, CALIFORNIA. THE TWO PILOTS AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.
PRELIMINARY AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST (ADS-B) DATA AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) COMMUNICATION SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT, (F70), MURRIETA, ABOUT 2118, AND LANDED AT HARRY REID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAS), LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, ABOUT 2204, THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ABOUT 0316, THE ADS-B DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED LAS. AFTER CLIMBOUT, THE AIRPLANE LEVELED OFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 19,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). ABOUT 58 MILES NORTH OF F70, THE AIRPLANE STARTED THE DESCENT AND THE PILOT CHECKED IN WITH ATC, CANCELLING HIS INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) CLEARANCE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT THEY RECEIVED UPDATED WEATHER AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR THE RNAV APPROACH TO RUNWAY 18 AT F70.
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED DIRECT TIQMU (INITIAL APPROACH FIX) AND INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 6,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE PILOT WAS THEN CLEARED AT OR ABOVE 4,600 FT MSL UNTIL TIQMU AND THEN FOR THE RNAV APPROACH. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE APPROACH AT TIQMU AND WAS THEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO SWITCH TO THE F70 COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY. ADSB DATA SHOWED THAT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO ABOUT 1,600 FT MSL, AND THEN EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH. THE PILOT CHECKED BACK IN WITH THE CONTROLLER AND REQUESTED TO BE VECTORED BACK FOR ANOTHER INSTRUMENT APPROACH. HE WAS TOLD TO COMPLY WITH
PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH INSTRUCTIONS AND TO MAINTAIN 5,000 FT MSL. THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO THE JESEX WAYPOINT (PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH HOLDING FIX)
AND THE PILOT WAS CLEARED AGAIN FOR THE RNAV APPROACH TO RUNWAY 18. ADS-B DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE CROSSED TIQMU AT 4,600 FT MSL, AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE
DESCENDED BELOW THE DECISION ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH, WHICH WAS 1,600 FT MSL. THE LAST RECORDED ADS-B DATA POINT INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A HEADING ABOUT 192°, WITH A GROUND SPEED ABOUT 128 KNOTS, AND AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,450 FT MSL.
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 800 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY 18 THRESHOLD. THE INITIAL IMPACT
POINT WAS ALIGNED ALONG AN EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT
100 FT PAST THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. A POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF THE FUSELAGE. ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE 400 FT LONG WRECKAGE DEBRIS PATH.
AT 0335, THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEM (AWOS) AT F70 REPORTED IN PART, CLEAR SKY AND VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES (SM). AT 0355, THE REPORTED WEATHER WAS AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 300 FT, AND VISIBILITY OF 3/4 SM. AT 0411, REPORTED WEATHER SHOWED THE VISIBILITY HAD REDUCED TO 1/2 SM AND FOG.
THE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR FUTURE EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.