LAX87FA350

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 340A · San Diego, CA · September 30, 1987

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
September 30, 1987, 07:59 local (14:59 UTC)
Place
San Diego, CA
Injuries
6 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
XAKOACessna 340A
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 8, 1989
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
25429

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Light condition - sunglareFactor
Visual/aural perceptionPilot in commandFactor
Ifr procedure - improperPilot in commandCause
Proper altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Impairment(alcohol)Pilot in commandFactor

Analysis

At aprx 0600, the acft depd guerrero negro, Mexico on an air taxi flt to tijuana, Mexico. At 0715, the tijuana wx was rprtd as partially obscured, vis 1 mi with fog, haze & smoke, wind calm. Drg arrival, the plt was clrd for an ILS rwy 9 apch & rprtd over the final apch fix. However, the acft crashed at about 0759, bfr reaching the middle marker,which was 1/2 mi from the apch end of rwy 9. Impact was on a ridge about 110 ft below the arpt elevation & aprx 100 yds north of the international border. The acft was fnd a short time later by U.S. Border patrol psnl. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd. The 0800 wx at tijuana was in part: sky partially obscured, vis 1/10 mi with fog & haze,wind 210 deg at 4 KTS. Abt 1 mi north at brown field, the wx was in part: sky partially obscured, vis 3/4 mi with fog & haze, wind 280 deg at 4 KTS. A toxicology check of the plt's blood showed an alcohol lvl of 0.07%. Calculations showed the sun would have been 16 deg abv the horizon on a magnetic azimuth of 89.8 deg.

Aircraft

Registration
XAKOA
Reported as
Cessna 340A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
340A0978
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-NB, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Non-U.S., commercial
Registered owner
Aero Servicio De Sonora
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
Guerrero Negro
Destination
Tijuana,Mexico, OF
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
MMTJ · Gen Rodriguez Intl, runway 9, 8,202 × 144 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
24
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
2,525 total · 100 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
260° at 4 knots
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
SDM, 1 nm away