# NTSB LAX04LA058: Cessna 525, N15C, San Diego, CA, December 5, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 4, 2003, 20:15 local (Dec 5, 2003, 04:15 UTC) - Place: San Diego, CA - Coordinates: 32.815555, -117.139442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8156&lon=-117.1394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58455 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58455/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA058 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and to initiate a timely go-around when visual contact with the runway was lost. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - visual/aural perception, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - airport facilities,taxiway condition - exposed taxiway edge ## Analysis The airplane veered off the runway during a night landing in instrument conditions and collided with ground obstructions. The weather conditions included a visibility of less than 1/4-mile in fog, with a vertical visibility of 100 feet. The pilot stated he was able to see the field while intercepting the instrument approach course at 3,000 feet msl. Using instruments for the approach, he was still able to maintain visual contact through the 100- to 200-foot-thick layer of fog, when he reached 200 feet agl. After descending, he lost visual contact with the runway, and everything became black. He started to move the levers up for a go-around, but noticed two red lights to his left. He thought he was too close to the ground and too slow, so he decided to land. The airplane touched down on the runway a second or two later. The pilot did not maintain directional control and the airplane veered to the left. It crossed an unpaved area, then hit and crossed a taxiway. The pavement lip edge broke the nose wheel off. The airplane continued onto another unpaved area and came to rest. It was about 50 feet to the left of runway 28R, and about 100 feet to the right of runway 5. The airplane also incurred damage to the nose gear fork assembly, pressure vessel, and to frame members. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented had he initiated a go-around when he lost visual contact with the runway. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On December 4, 2003, about 2015 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 525, N15C, experienced a loss of control during landing and sheared the nose gear off in a collision with a taxiway pavement lip edge at Montgomery Field Airport, San Diego, California. Polestar Labs Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed the Mahlon Sweet Field Airport, Eugene, Oregon, about 1800, with a planned destination of San Diego. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated he was able to see the field while intercepting the instrument approach course at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). Using instruments for the approach, he was still able to maintain visual contact through the 100-200 feet of fog, when he reached 200 feet above ground level (agl). After descending, he lost visual contact with the runway, and everything became black. He started to move the levers up for a go-around, but noticed two red lights to his left. He thought he was too close to the ground and too slow, so he decided to land. The airplane touched down on the runway a second or two later. The pilot did not maintain directional control and the airplane veered to the left. It crossed an unpaved area, then hit and crossed a taxiway. The pavement lip edge broke the nose wheel off. The airplane continued onto another unpaved area and came to rest. It was about 50 feet to the left of runway 28R, and about 100 feet to the right of runway 5. The airplane also incurred damage to the nose gear fork assembly, pressure vessel, and to frame members. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) for Montgomery Field Airport was issued at 2018. It stated: skies partially obscured with fog; vertical visibility of 100 feet; visibility less than 1/4 mile; winds from 350 degrees at 3 knots; temperature 52 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 52 degrees Fahrenheit; and altimeter 30.06 inHg. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented had he initiated a go-around when he lost visual contact with the runway. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: N15C (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 525 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0377 - Airframe hours: 850 - Engines: Williams International FJ44-1A 1900 lbs thrust turbo fan; Williams International FJ44-1A 1900 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael W. Dunaway - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KEUG, Eugene, OR - Destination: MYF, San Diego, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KMYF, San Diego, runway 28R, 4,577 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 19, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 3,250 total, 1,004 in this make and model, 3,029 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days - Other flight crew; age 35; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: rear; flight hours: 100 total ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 0.25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft indefinitevv - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: MYF ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031204032989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031204032989A), Dec 4, 2003: Cessna 525, San Diego, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated that he was making an IFR approach for landing and had made visual contact with the ground when he found himself in a "black hole." He… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.