Piper PA-28-140 N7250F

Summary

On 29 August 1992 at about 00:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N7250F, operated by Central Valley Skyways, was involved in an accident near Atwater, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 August 1992 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Atwater, California, United States

Nearest airport

Atwater MunicaIpal (0O1)

Coordinates

37.3209, -120.6297

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N7250F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Central Valley Skyways

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA369

Nobody was injured.

THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOTS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT BACK ON THE RUNWAY. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TAIL WIND CONDITION ENCOUNTERED DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT AND THE SHORT NATURE OF THE RUNWAY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT THE FLIGHT DEPARTED RUNWAY 30 AND AT ABOUT 900 FEET DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE ENGINE POWER LEVEL SMOOTHLY REDUCED TO ABOUT 2,000 RPM. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO ROUGHNESS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POWER LOSS. THE PILOT SAID SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN AHEAD AND ELECTED TO PERFORM A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LAND DOWN WIND ON RUNWAY 12. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A FENCE AT THE RUNWAY END. SHE SAID SHE ADDED ALL AVAILABLE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF AND OVER THE FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND AND COLLIDED WITH TWO CORAL FENCES ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF A MILE BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE FROM ABOUT 310 DEGREES AT ABOUT 10 KNOTS. THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME WERE EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS WHO DID NOT FIND EVIDENCE TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTED LOSS OF POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.