Piper PA-28-181 N84451

Summary

On 7 June 1998 at about 18:17 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N84451, operated by Golden State Aviation, was involved in an accident near El Cajon, California, United States. 3 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

7 June 1998 at 18:17

Classification

Accident

Location

El Cajon, California, United States

Coordinates

32.7907, -116.9599

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N84451

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Golden State Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA186

Nobody was injured.

The certified flight instructor's inadequate preflight which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A related factor was the unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor pilot was departing with two beginning student pilots for a local area flight. The instructor stated that during the initial climb, about 50 to 100 feet above ground level, the engine lost power and he performed a forced landing beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged during the forced landing. According to an FAA inspector on scene, during the preflight the fuel gascolator drain may have been left open during the preflight. The flight instructor was counseled by the FAA on preflight procedures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.