Piper PA-34-200T N6654A

Summary

On 18 August 1997 at about 00:44 local time, a Piper PA-34-200T registered N6654A, operated by Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Kernville, California, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 1997 at 00:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Kernville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Kern Valley (LO5)

Coordinates

35.7292, -118.3906

Aircraft

Piper PA-34-200T

Registration

N6654A

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Aero Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Van Nuys

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97FA292

1 person was seriously injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to the operator's inadequate engine maintenance relating to excessively rich mixtures (high fuel flow rates) and spark plug/magneto deficiencies. Contributing factors were degraded climb performance resulting from the high density altitude and the airplane loading which exceeded maximum weight and aft center of gravity limits.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Seconds after takeoff, the engines lost partial power. Witnesses saw black smoke trailing from the airplane. Unable to climb, the pilot ditched and sank in 20-foot-deep water, 1.25 miles from the airport. During the month preceding the accident, black smoke had been observed trailing from the airplane on two other occasions, but no evidence of maintenance was noted in the logbooks. The airplane was recovered and examined. The engines were placed into a test cell and run and numerous maintenance related deficiencies were found. Although full power was obtained, the fuel flow rates to both engines exceeded design specifications, thus creating overly rich mixtures and black smoke. Additionally, the right engine's left magneto internally arced, and 5 of the 12 spark plugs were worn beyond limits. The density altitude was computed at 4,300 feet. Also, the maximum certificated gross weight was exceeded by at least 160 pounds, and the center of gravity was 1.09 inches aft of the rear limit. The pilot said he had not asked for a weather briefing prior to departure, nor had he performed weight and balance computations. The fare-paying passengers had not been advised to secure their shoulder harnesses prior to takeoff, and their aft loaded baggage was unsecured because of the previous removal of the tie down straps. The pilot did not provide the Safety Board with evidence of his recent flying currency or complete the required report form. The passengers chartered the flight in response to the operator's yellow page advertisement for such availability. The operator did not possess a 14 CFR 135 certificate, and the FAA's surveillance of the FBO was nil.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.