Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacoima, California 91334
Friday, June 21, 1991 20:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN THEIR AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 120 POUNDS OVER THE CERTIFICATED MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. ABOUT 6 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 4,200 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. ON SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ITS ENGINE REVEALED NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL PROBLEM. THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE WAS CALCULATED BY AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR. HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DEPART THE AIRPORT; FLY DIRECTLY TO THE ACCIDENT LOCATION; AND CLEAR THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. ONE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE, BUT THAT THE AIRCRAFT JUST COULD NOT CLEAR THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACOIMA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91334
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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/Dark
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 638
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44947
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8745N
NTSB Number LAX91LA273
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-28
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28
Aircraft Serial Number 2825561
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EARL J. BURNETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 950 N. LOUISE ST
Aircraft Owner City GLENDALE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91206
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EARL J. BURNETT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 950 N. LOUISE ST.
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91206
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 No
Departure Airport Code WHP
Departure City WHITEMAN
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2014
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P06
Destination City BULLHEAD
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --