Dale's Skyranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Twentynine Palm, California 91178
Sunday, September 4, 1994 16:37 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A VFR FLIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM. THE ENGINE WAS DISSEMBLED AND NO SIGNIFICANT ANOMALIES COULD BE FOUND THAT WOULD CAUSE THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATORS COULD NOT EXAMINE THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL BECAUSE THE PILOT DRAINED ALL THE FUEL DURING THE RETRIEVAL PROCESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined. The dirt berm was a factor in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1637
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TWENTYNINE PALM
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91178
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DALE'S SKYRANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1800
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 938
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8431T
NTSB Number LAX94LA351
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182B
Aircraft Series Identifier 182B
Aircraft Serial Number 52331
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COWELL, NORMAN B. II
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2121 ADONA
Aircraft Owner City LOMITA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90717
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAME AS REGISTERED OWNER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SAME AS REGISTERED OWNER
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TOA
Departure City TORRANCE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --