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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

February 24, 1993 · Beech A36 · N43Y

Santa Ana, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 24, 1993
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (6 uninjured)
Location
Santa Ana, CA
Aircraft
Beech A36
Tail Number
N43Y
Operator
James C Bunnell
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX93LA137

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.

NTSB 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.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:43 PST
Nearest AirportJohn Wayne Orange County (0nm N)
Runway19
Runway Length5700 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech A36
Tail NumberN43Y
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJames C Bunnell
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520 · Reciprocating · 285
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (6 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured6
Total6
Crew 1Age 35 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind270° @ 10 kt, gusting 15 kt
Visibility25 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 39 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time21:46
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data