Piper PA601P accident near San Diego, California, January 1, 1992
On January 1, 1992 at about 1:25 am local time, a Piper PA601P, registered N680JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND DELAY IN ACCOMPLISHING THE PROPER REMEDIAL ACTION WHILE EXECUTING A NIGHT SHORT FIELD LANDING AT AN ADEQUATELY LIGHTED AIRPORT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE SLOPE AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1992 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA601P
- Registration
- N680JM · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0507-210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER AEROSTAR 601P COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHTS SHORT OF RUNWAY 28R. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT AND PLANNED TO ACCOMPLISH A NIGHT SHORT FIELD LANDING ON RUNWAY 28R. DURING FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO LOW HE WAS LATE IN ADDING POWER. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK AN APPROACH LIGHT WITH THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TOUCHDOWN. RUNWAY 28R IS 3,408 FEET LONG BY 150 FEET WIDE, AND IS EQUIPPED WITH HIGH INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTS, CENTERLINE LIGHTS, A CATEGORY II CONFIGURATION HIGH INTENSITY APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM, HIGH INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTS, AND A SIMPLIFIED SHORT APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH RUNWAY ALIGNMENT INDICATOR LIGHTS. THE RUNWAY'S APPROACH SLOPE ANGLE IS 3.0 DEGREES WITH A THRESHOLD CROSSING HEIGHT OF 29 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 974 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1991; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,315 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5MM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from MYF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.