- Date
- December 23, 1993, 16:25 local (Dec 24, 1993, 00:25 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2501XPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931223047199A
- Case key
- 28624
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing wind conditions and his failure to maintain a proper glidepath.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was on a long final approach to runway 5 when the flight experienced 'some turbulence and possible wind shear' in the 18 knot headwind and collided with high tension power lines. The power lines are located about 5,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The pilot recovered and completed a landing on the runway. No pilot reports of turbulence or wind shear were noted by the air traffic control tower either before or after the aircraft landed.
Factual narrative
On December 23, 1993, at 1625 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA28-181, N2501X, collided with power lines on final approach to runway 5 at the Montgomery Field airport, San Diego, California. The aircraft, which sustained substantial damage to the propeller, windshield, vertical stabilizer and rudder, completed a full-stop landing at the airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage; however, the certificated private pilot and his one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at Torrance, California, at 1530 hours on the day of the mishap as a cross-country personal flight.
The pilot reported in his written statement that he was on a long final approach to runway 5 when the flight experienced "some turbulence and possible wind shear" in the 18 knot headwind and collided with high tension power lines. The power lines are located about 5,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The pilot recovered and completed a landing on the runway. No pilot reports of turbulence or wind shear were noted by the air traffic control tower either before or after the aircraft landed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2501X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8590079
- Airframe hours
- 4,048
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Plus One Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Kevin E. Teel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Provisional (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 16, 1993 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- TOA · Torrance, CA
- Airport
- MYF · Montgomery Field, runway 5, 3,402 × 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 10 in this make and model · 83 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 18 knots
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYF, 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.
Other investigations on N2501X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.