Piper PA-28R-200 N6959J

Summary

On 7 August 1994 at about 07:06 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N6959J, operated by Larry Wright, was involved in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 August 1994 at 07:06

Classification

Accident

Location

San Luis Obispo, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mc Chesney Field (SBP)

Coordinates

35.2505, -120.6194

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N6959J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Larry Wright

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Salt Lake City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX94FA308

4 people died.

the failure of the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod for undetermined reasons. The dark night lighting conditions, which hampered the ability of the pilots to detect the power lines, was a factor in this accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE NIGHT SKY FLYING BETWEEN 50 AND 100 FEET AGL, WESTBOUND, APPROXIMATELY 3 1/2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEXT OBSERVED IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN OVER THE FREEWAY WITH THE ENGINE MAKING LOUD AND UNUSUAL NOISES. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A SECTION OF OVERHEAD HIGH-TENSION ELECTRICAL LINES THAT SPANNED THE FREEWAY. THE DRIVER OF A NORTHBOUND VEHICLE REPORTED THAT HIS VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE AIRCRAFT AS IT SLID ACROSS THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE NORTHBOUND EMERGENCY LANE. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THE ONLY OUTSIDE ILLUMINATION WAS FROM GROUND LIGHTS IN THE CITY. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE CASE WAS FRACTURED IN THE AREA OF THE NO. 4 CYLINDER. A FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS REVEALED THAT THE NO. 4 ROD AND END CAP HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED COMPONENTS TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE MODE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO DAMAGE SUSTAINED ON THE FRACTURE FACES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.