Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vacaville, California 95688
Monday, March 15, 1993 19:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1900 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER. HE SAID HE CHANGED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP. HE REPORTED THE ENGINE THEN LOST TOTAL POWER. HE SAID HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A VALLEY. DURING THE TERMINATION OF THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN FOLLOWED BY THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL AND FUSELAGE. THE AIRPLANE'S FUSELAGE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR EXAMINATION. THE FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR SUPERVISING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION REPORTED THAT NO PRE EXISTING DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE EXAMINATION AND THAT THE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL A REASON FOR THE REPORTED ENGINE POWER LOSS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City VACAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95688
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 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 Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 883
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8120H
NTSB Number LAX93LA152
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8016138
Certified Max Gross Weight 2440
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 Mar 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 9140
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARON ENTERPRISES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 145 JOHN GLENN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CONCORD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94520
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCR
Destination City CONCORD
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --