Reedley Muni. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reedley, California 93654
Monday, May 16, 1988 11:22 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 800 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE THEN 'QUIT AND RESTART(ED)' SEVERAL TIMES. HE SAID THAT INSUFFICIENT POWER WAS AVAILABLE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE AND HE ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN A TREE COVERED FIELD NEAR THE AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT EACH FUEL TANK HAD ABOUT 6 GALLONS OF FUEL. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE TEMPERATURE AT FRESNO, CA, WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 15 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF REEDLEY, CA, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 67 DEGREES AND THE DEW POINT WAS 48 DEGREES. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1122
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City REEDLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93654
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REEDLEY MUNI.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 032
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 383
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
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 --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1215
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1407
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37308
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23415
NTSB Number LAX88LA183
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 PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-81A0099
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 1617
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNER, JAMES A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 805\69 N ANGUS
Aircraft Owner City FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KENNER, JAMES A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8069 N. ANGUS
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93710
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code O32
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q60
Destination City FRESNO
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 33
Runway Length 3300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --