NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX90FA123
Registry · N2985E
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AERONCA 7AC
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3163E
Registrant of record
WELNA JOHN M
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING THE PRESCRIBED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH.
Factual narrative
FOR OVER ONE YEAR THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT REGULARLY FLEW HIMSELF TO WORK BETWEEN HIS SANTA BARBARA HOME AND HIS BUSINESS OFFICE NEAR THE SANTA ANA AIRPORT (SNA). UPON APPROACHING SNA THE PILOT MADE AN ILS APPROACH, FOLLOWED BY A MISSED APPROACH. HE CLIMBED TO 2,500 FEET AND DIVERTED TO THE FULLERTON AIRPORT (FUL). THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A VOR APPROACH AND RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AT THE FAF. THE PILOT DESCENDED ON THE PRESCRIBED TRACK TOWARD FUL BUT FAILED TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AT THE MDA, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND TERRAIN 1.9 STATUTE MILES BEFORE THE AIRPORT. THE 65-YR-OLD PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. THE PILOT HAD A RECENT HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, AND AT AUTOPSY EVDIECNE WAS FOUND OF HYPERTENSIVE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_LAX90FA123.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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