Piper PA-28-140 N6274W

Summary

On 6 August 1989 at about 22:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N6274W was involved in an accident near Toms Place, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 August 1989 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Toms Place, California, United States

Coordinates

37.4992, -118.3093

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N6274W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fresno → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

Unk

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA276

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TERRAIN OBSTRUCTIONS BEFORE ENTERING A HIGH ELEVATION BASIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHICH REDUCED THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE TO LESS THAN THE RATE OF CLIMB OF THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A HIGH ELEVATION BASIN LOCATED ABOVE 10,000 FEET MSL IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE RIM OF THE BASIN WAS DETERMINED TO BE ABOVE 12,500 FEET. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT 10,500 FEET MSL WAS ABOUT 12,500 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT'S BEST RATE OF CLIMB WAS LESS THAN 400 FEET PER MILE. THE FLOOR OF THE BASIN ROSE IN ELEVATION ABOUT 400 FEET PER MILE IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.