San Carlos Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Mateo, California 94403
Sunday, September 25, 1994 13:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AFTER TAKEOFF AND WAS FORCED TO LAND ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OVERHAULED BY AN FAA-CERTIFIED REPAIR STATION 5 MONTHS AND 150 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE MAGNETO REVEALED INTERNAL CORROSION AND ELECTRICAL ARCING AT THE BREAKER POINTS. THE INSULATION ON THE 'P' LEAD WIRE WAS CRACKED ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH EXPOSING BARE WIRE AT ONE POINT. GROUNDING OF THE 'P' LEAD AS A RESULT OF A BARE WIRE TOUCHING THE AIRFRAME WOULD HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A deteriorated magneto grounding ('P' lead) and failure of maintenance personnel to detect this condition when the engine was reinstalled in the airframe after overhaul. The lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN MATEO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94403
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 SAN CARLOS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SQL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1347 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID SQL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1717
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39658
NTSB Number LAX94LA377
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7887135
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1429
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REGLI, MIKE L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3731 E. WEST RIDGE
Aircraft Owner City ORANGE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92667
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO HAVEN, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2799
Operator City BIG BEAR CITY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92314
Operator Code EELA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 SQL
Departure City SAN CARLOS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L35
Destination City BIG BEAR CITY
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --