Hayward Air Term. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hayward, California 94541
Wednesday, April 27, 1988 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION THE PILOT BEGAN A VISUAL, NIGHT DESCENT TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THE PILOT REDUCED THE AIRSPEED AND DEPLOYED FLAPS. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE AIRPORT THE PILOT INCREASED THE FLAP ANGLE AND ADJUSTED THE PROPELLERS TO THE LANDING RPM AND THE AIRSPEED DECREASED. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THIS TIME HE HEARD A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A FLUTTER WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS EMANATING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. FULL THROTTLE WAS APPLIED, BUT THE AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A FREEWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE ON TOUCHDOWN AND SLID TO A STOP. POST CRASH EXAM REVEALED THE RPM CONTROL LEVERS AND BELLRANKS TO BE IN THE HIGH RPM SETTINGS. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND IN THE FEATHERED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETECT AN UNCOMMANDED PROPELLER FEATHERING PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 14
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HAYWARD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94541
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAYWARD AIR TERM.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HWD
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 47
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2345 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 289
Weather Observation Facility ID OAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 6
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2362
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39076
Date of most recent change to record Feb 21 2002 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3588Y
NTSB Number LAX88FA169
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 318052129
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3355
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTERS UNLIMITED INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4415
Aircraft Owner City OAKLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELICOPTERS UNLIMITED
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4115 AIRPORT STATION
Operator City OAKLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94614
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CCB
Departure City UPLAND
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2235
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HWD
Destination City HAYWARD
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 5024
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --