Truckee Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Truckee, California 95824
Monday, May 27, 1991 11:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB ACHIEVE AN ABOVE GROUND ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET. IT THEN BEGAN A DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF A MILE BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28. THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE EXAMINED. FUEL WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS IDENTIFIED. BOTH PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBITED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND CHORDWISE SCORING. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7100 FEET AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO BE LOADED WITHIN 100 POUNDS OF MAX GROSS WEIGHT. REVIEW OF THE PREDICTED RATE OF CLIMB DATA IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COULD EXPECT A MAXIMUM RATE OF CLIMB OF 290 FEET PER MINUTE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A STALL MUSH WHICH LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TRUCKEE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95824
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRUCKEE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRK
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 280
Airport Elevation 5900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID TRK
Elevation of weather observation facility 5900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7100
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 397
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43683
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5777F
NTSB Number LAX91LA226
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 PA28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-25083
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID H. BARRACKMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2752 BRISA BLANDA
Aircraft Owner City ARROYO GRANDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93420
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID H. BARRACKMAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2752 BRISA BLANDA
Operator City ARROYO GRANDE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93420
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 1145
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 28
Runway Length 6400
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --