Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Avalon, California 90704
Thursday, April 22, 1993 16:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS, AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 2,000 FEET MSL OVER THE WATER AND CRUISED ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF THE ISLAND WITH THE INTENTION OF CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE ISLAND BEFORE RETURNING TO TORRANCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THE PASSENGERS SAID THE ENGINE WAS MAKING DIESELING TYPE NOISE. ALL THREE PERSONS SAID THE PROPELLER CONTINUED TO TURN, BUT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER OUTPUT. THE PILOT SAID HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOOSING ALTITUDE AND HE THOUGHT THEY WOULD NOT CLEAR THE HILLS BETWEEN THEIR PRESENT POSITION AND THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED A RELATIVELY FLAT PLATEAU AND TURNED TOWARD IT WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. WHILE DESCENDING TOWARD THE ROAD, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A SCRUB OAK TREE SHORT OF THE OPEN AREA. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER COMING TO REST. THE POST CRASH FIRE TOTALLY CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THE IGNITION AND FUEL SYSTEMS WERE DESTROYED. NO UNUSUAL INTERNAL ENGINE OPERATING CONDITION WAS NOTED DURING A TEAR DOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AVALON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90704
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 635
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50467
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1060X
NTSB Number LAX93LA182
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-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7535229
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 4640
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELI J. ALEXANDER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2914 BRIARWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TORRANCE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUTH BAY AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2955 AIRPORT DRIVE
Operator City TORRANCE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90505
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 AVX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOA
Destination City TORRANCE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --