Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corona, California 91720
Wednesday, July 17, 1991 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE FAILED DURING A VISUAL APPROACH FOR LANDING THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT HE NEGLECTED TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ROUGH TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE POWER PLANT AFTER THE ACCIDENT DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO IMPULSE COUPLING FLYWEIGHTS STRUCK THE STOP PINS. THE FLYWEIGHT-STOP PIN IMPACT SEIZED THE MAGNETO AND SHEARED THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR ALIGNMENT DOWEL. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE UNCOUPLING THE ACCESSORY DRIVE TRAIN AND THE ENGINE FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL SPEED AFTER THE ENGINE FAILED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE, MAGNETO AND ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR, THE ROUGH TERRAIN CONDITIONS OVER WHICH THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CORONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91720
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
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 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 258
Weather Observation Facility ID RAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 462
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2076
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46444
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5233S
NTSB Number LAX91LA315
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 PA32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40929
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 3138
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DARRYL RHODES & JAMES HANENBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4751 E. HUNTER AVE
Aircraft Owner City ANAHEIM
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92807
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DARRYL RHODES & JAMES HANENBER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4751 E. HUNTER AVE
Operator City ANAHEIM
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92807
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 PSP
Departure City PALMS SPRINGS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --