Skylark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Elsinore, California 92330
Friday, March 24, 1989 12:03 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A PA-34-200 ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN NEAR LAKE ELSINORE, CA. THE CFI STATED THAT HE HAD SHUTDOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE PROPELLER TO DEMONSTRATE, TO THE STUDENT, SINGLE- ENGINE PROCEDURES AND PERFORMANCE. THE CFI THEN TOLD HIS STUDENT TO PERFORM A SINGLE-ENGINE LANDING. THE STUDENT WAS HIGH AND FAST ON FINAL. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT, THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND WITH A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT BUT, WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL IN GAINING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLEAR POWER LINES THAT WERE LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI DESCENDED THE ACFT AND FLEW UNDER THEM. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED INTO A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CLEAR HOUSES IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. THE CFI ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE ACFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CFI DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN HIS DEMONSTRATION OF SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION OF A TWIN ENGINE ACFT. HIS LACK OF SUPERVISION OF AN IMPROPER, DETERIORATING SITUATION ASSURED AN UNSUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1203
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAKE ELSINORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92330
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKYLARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L49
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 1300
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Minor
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 531
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39935
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 N4374T
NTSB Number LAX89LA135
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-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7250080
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 105
Airframe Hours 4310
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVE MAYES
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVE MAYES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1903 AVIATION DRIVE
Operator City CORONA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91720
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L66
Departure City CONCORD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 2575
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --