The City of San Diego released new information about the safety systems the NTSB said weren’t working at the time. NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry explains.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating Thursday’s plane crash near the intersection of Sample Street and Salmon Street.
Just before 4 a.m. on Thursday a Cessna 550 crashed after clipping a power line, according to the NTSB.
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There were no deaths on the ground.
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During a Friday afternoon press conference NTSB Investigators said two systems on the ground were not active.
“We have determined that the automated surface observing system which provides airport weather conditions to pilots was inoperative at the Montgomery Airport at the time of the accident,” NTSB Investigator Dan Baker said.
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On Saturday morning the City of San Diego released a fact sheet about the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport’s operations and detailing a lighting system that was partially operational.
“Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport maintains portions of the airfield lighting system, including runway edge lights, also known as runway lights. The Airport confirms the runway lights were operational at the time of the incident. The FAA, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of San Diego, owns and is responsible for the maintenance of navigational aid facilities and approach lighting for the runway, including the Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR) as the approach lighting system for the runway. Public records reflect that at the time of the accident, there was a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM number 10/008) that advises pilots that the approach lighting system is out of service,” The fact sheet read.
The NTSB is conducting a full investigation into the incident.
“NTSB is going to try to find out why the pilot descended below this required minimum height and they’re also going to look into whether or not the approach lighting or the lack of weather was a factor,” Former FAA & NTSB Investigator Jeff Guzzetti said.
The NTSB will release a preliminary report within 30 days of the incident and a full report is expected to be released within 1 to 2 years.
