Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Florence, Arizona 85232
Wednesday, December 23, 1992 15:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PIPER PA-22-20 COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER A REPORTED PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE CRUISING ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT SELECTED A LONG FLAT FIELD AS AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED BEYOND HIS DESIRED TOUCHDOWN POINT AND ELECTED TO GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, BUT STRUCK SOME TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD WHEN IT DID NOT ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THEM. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS EXAMINED BY AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC (A&P). THE A&P DID NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF POWER AS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH; HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT; AND, DELAY IN EXECUTING A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FLORENCE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85232
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1536 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 232
Weather Observation Facility ID CGZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1462
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 795
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 24 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48276
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9436D
NTSB Number LAX93LA074
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-20
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-20
Aircraft Serial Number 22 6410
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OFFERMAN, HARLEY J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11160 CINNEBAR AVE
Aircraft Owner City SUN CITY
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85351
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OFFERMAN, HARLEY J.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 11160 CINNEBAR AVE
Operator City SUN CITY
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85351
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RYN
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --