I have heard that the pilot may have lived in nearby scripps ranch
where many homes were lost.
may have contributed to his urgency to get home.


NTSB Identification: LAX04LA028
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 26, 2003 in San Diego, CA
Aircraft: Mooney M20K, registration: N1147N
Injuries: 1 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final
report has been completed.

On October 26, 2003, at 1419 Pacific standard time, a Mooney M20K
airplane, N1147N, landed hard on a highway after a partial loss of
engine power during a go-around from Montgomery Field (MYF), San
Diego, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under
the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot sustained minor
injuries; the airplane was destroyed in a post-impact fire. The flight
departed St. John's Industrial Air Park (SJN), St. Johns, Arizona,
about 1200 mountain standard time. Instrument meteorological
conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) plan had
been filed for the personal cross-country flight.

In a telephone conversation, the pilot reported that he filed IFR to
BARET intersection with the intention of landing at Montgomery Field.
Forest fires in the area had restricted IFR flights into the area.
Prior to landing, he canceled his IFR clearance and descended below
the smoke layer. During landing, the pilot executed a go-around. He
applied the throttle and as the airplane began the crosswind turn, the
engine lost partial power. He was unable to maintain a climb, and
landed the airplane hard on Highway 163. As the airplane touched down,
the right wing was torn off and the airplane impacted a divider.

The Safety Board investigator contacted Prescott Flight Service
Station (FSS) regarding the accident. The pilot received a preflight
weather briefing from 1120 to 1131. FSS personnel advised him that he
might not be able to get into the San Diego area airports under IFR
due to congestion in the area as a result of the forest fires.

A notice to airmen (NOTAM) advising the closure of the Montgomery
Field tower was issued at 1152.

An aviation routine weather report (METAR) was issued at 1453. It
stated in part: wind from 040 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 3/4 mile;
haze; smoke; vertical visibility 1,000 feet; temperature 31 degrees
Celsius ; dew point 8 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.08 inHg.





On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 15:46:42 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

With visibility at 1/4 mile around the time of the accident, I would
suspect that the tower controller would not have approved an
instrument approach.


The approach is not subject to the tower controller's approval.