# NTSB LAX79FA079: Piper PA-38, N2440D, Ramona, CA, September 10, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: September 10, 1979
- Place: Ramona, CA · RAMONA, CA
- Location: 33.0417° N, 116.8681° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ramona, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0417&lon=-116.8681&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 18, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 132802
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX79FA079
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX79FA079

## NTSB brief (aircraft 2)

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3900  79/9/10    RAMONA,CA           GRUMMAN TS-2A       CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1758                    N405DF              PX-  0  0  0  ASSOC FIRE CTL ACTIVITY   AGE 52, 9000 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  1  0  0                            775 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - RAMONA
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          RAMONA,CA                   LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH AIRCRAFT: BOTH IN FLIGHT                  LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT
           PERSONNEL - MISCELLANEOUS-PERSONNEL: PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
         SPECIAL DATA
          SEGMENTS OF AVIATION INVOLVED - SMALL US GEN.AV.-LARGE US GEN.AV.
          CONTROLLING AGENCY - NO CONTROL                          RADAR CTL/SURVEILLANCE - NOT UNDER RADAR CONTACT
          TRAFFIC ADVISORY ISSUED - NONE                           CONTROLLED/UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT - UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT
          CONTROL ZONE/AREA - NO                                   CONVERGENCE ANGLE-DEGREES -  45
          HORIZONTAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -   90                VERTICAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -  0
          EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
```

## NTSB brief (aircraft 1)

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3900  79/9/10    RAMONA,CA           PIPER PA-38         CR-  1  0  0  INSTRUCTIONAL             STUDENT, AGE 21, 50 TOTAL
        TIME - 1758                    N2440D              PX-  0  0  0  TRAINING                  HOURS, ALL IN TYPE, NOT
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  1                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - RAMONA
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION         LAST ENROUTE STOP
          SAN DIEGO,CA                RETURN                       RAMONA,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH AIRCRAFT: BOTH IN FLIGHT                  LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT
           PERSONNEL - MISCELLANEOUS-PERSONNEL: PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
         SPECIAL DATA
          SEGMENTS OF AVIATION INVOLVED - SMALL US GEN.AV.-LARGE US GEN.AV.
          CONTROLLING AGENCY - NO CONTROL                          RADAR CTL/SURVEILLANCE - NOT UNDER RADAR CONTACT
          TRAFFIC ADVISORY ISSUED - NONE                           CONTROLLED/UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT - UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT
          CONTROL ZONE/AREA - NO                                   CONVERGENCE ANGLE-DEGREES -  45
          HORIZONTAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -   90                VERTICAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -  0
          EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
```

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N2440D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2440D-1982-12-22), registration cancelled 1982-12-22, S/N 38-79A0316, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38
- Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Ramona

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N405DF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N405DF-1998-07-14), registration cancelled 1998-07-14, S/N 266 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN TS-2A
- Registry model: [Grumman S2F-1 (TS-2A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-s2f-1-ts-2a) (registry code 3951102) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Ramona

## FAA reports on this event (2)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19790910041132A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790910041132A), Sep 10, 1979: Piper PA38112, Ramona, CA, Destroyed. Student on high/wide downwind began descending turn to base. Was struck by larger, faster overtaking airplane.
- [Accident 19790910041131A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790910041131A), Sep 10, 1979: Grumav S2F, Ramona, CA, Substantial damage. Overtook small airplane on downwind. Small plane made base leg turn in front of him. Not seen until last seconds.

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.

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