Perris Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Perris, California 92370
Saturday, May 4, 1985 19:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PILOT MANAGED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY AND ALL 31 SKYDIVERS AND THE TWO MEMBER CREW EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY. THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER HAD LOST ONE BLADE WHICH WAS FOUND SEVERAL DAYS LATER 3000 FEET WEST OF THE WRECKAGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND TO SUBSTANTIATE COMPLIANCE WITH A MANDATORY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE PROPELLER BLADE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PERRIS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92370
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PERRIS VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L65
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1413
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 816
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 33
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2532
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 4 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30263
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N157U
NTSB Number LAX85FA240
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 125: 20+ Pax,6000+ lbs
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC3
Aircraft Series Identifier DC3
Aircraft Serial Number 4132
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 42950
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BENNIE E. CONATSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2091 GOETZ RD
Aircraft Owner City PERRIS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92370
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PERRIS VALLEY PARACENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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 Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1920
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --