LAX93LA137

NTSB accident investigation · Beech A36 · Santa Ana, CA · February 24, 1993

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 24, 1993, 13:43 local (21:43 UTC)
Place
Santa Ana, CA
Injuries
6 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N43YBeech A36
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 15, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930224003379A
Case key
27938

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

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing wind conditions and his failure to maintain an adequate approach reference airspeed. Factors in the accident were the pilot's low experience in the aircraft.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Weather condition - crosswind
Weather condition - gusts
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Lack of total experience in type of aircraftPilot in commandFactor
Airspeed(vref) - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Recovery from bounced landing - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - runway light
Object - sign

Analysis

The pilot said he monitored the ATIS while inbound to runway 19R and that the reported winds were from 230 degrees at 12 knots. While on downwind the pilot said he observed a twin engine aircraft land, 'noting the crab angle for cross wind effects.' The pilot stated that he did not hear the local controller provide 'gust advisories' while he was in the traffic pattern. The pilot said that about 50 feet above the runway 'we encountered a strong downdraft that brought us to (the) runway and back up to about 40 feet AGL.' The pilot reported that he attempted to go around but that the aircraft contacted the ground near the runway edge and then left the pavement and ran into the grass area between the runways. The aircraft collided with several runway signs and sheared off the landing gear. Transcripts of recorded air to ground radio communications revealed that the aircraft was sequenced behind another aircraft and cleared to land at 1340:37. At 1341:39, the controller in response to a request by another aircraft for the current winds broadcast 'wind two four zero at one two.' The official weather observation taken immediately after the accident reported the winds from 270 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 15 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N43Y
Reported as
Beech A36
Category
Airplane
Serial number
E-576
Engine
Continental IO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
James C. Bunnell
Registered owner
Thomas D. Evans
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Unknown · January 2, 2000
Departed
AVX · Avalon, CA
Airport
SNA · John Wayne Orange County, runway 19, 5,700 × 150 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
35
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
281 total · 11 in this make and model · 281 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
Visibility
25 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
SNA, 1 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.