Piper PA-28R-201 accident near San Diego, California, June 22, 1997
On June 22, 1997 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N6471C, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Mongomery Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1997 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Mongomery Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N6471C · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7837169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the landing gear was selected down, only the main landing gear down indicator lights illuminated. The CFI reported that he made extensive attempts to extend the nose landing gear using both the normal and emergency procedures, however, each attempt was unsuccessful. The CFI further reported that while making his landing approach to the runway, he directed his student to turn the fuel selector to the off position. Simultaneously, the CFI moved the fuel mixture control to the idle-cutoff position as the aircraft was crossing the runway threshold. A videotape was taken by a witness to the accident sequence. Review of this tape disclosed that the aircraft made a near wings level, descending approach to the runway. At approximately 30 feet agl, the aircraft's nose oscillated up and down, followed quickly by the onset of a high vertical descent rate. At this point, the aircraft's stabilator was in what appeared to be an almost full nose up. The aircraft impacted the runway surface in a near level, slight right wing down attitude. Examination of the aircraft revealed that a nose gear down assist spring assembly had separated from an upper attach point on the strut and was tangled up in the strut support linkage, preventing the strut from free-falling to the down position.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 342 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 273 as pilot in command; 112 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,390 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 13, 1997; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 4,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.