Dunsmuir Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dunsmuir, California 96025
Wednesday, January 30, 1991 12:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT APPLIED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND ABOUT 300 YARDS PAST THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT SOUND AS IF IT WS PRODUCING FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE TOP AND CRASHED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED BY SAND AND RUST. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS IN THE 'ON' POSITION. THE AIRPLANE HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 14 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AMOUNT OF POWER AVAILABLE COULD NOT BE QUANTIFIED OR VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAYED GO-AROUND ATTEMPT AND IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A DEGRADATION OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION FROM SAND AND RUST.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/30/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City DUNSMUIR
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96025
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUNSMUIR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 106
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 3258
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID RDD
Elevation of weather observation facility 502
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 264
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43359
Date of most recent change to record Jan 6 2004 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7194P
NTSB Number LAX91FA086
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-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 2364
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Dec 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 1659
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD F. RENTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 156 HODGE DR.
Aircraft Owner City MORAGA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94556
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD F. RENTON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 156 HODGE DR.
Operator City MORAGA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94556
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 085
Departure City REDDING
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --