Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Covina, California 91793
Monday, May 7, 1984 13:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE RETURNING TO THE ARPT & TOWING A BANNER, SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT & A SMALL FIRE BEGAN BURING, FORWARD OF THE LEFT/LOWER PART OF THE FIREWALL. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT TO LAND IN A FIELD. HE OPENED THE RIGHT CABING DOOR, ALL AIR VENTS & THE WINDOW ON THE LEFT SIDE, BUT THE FIRE & SMOKE BECAME WORSE. HE RELEASED THE BANNER IN AN OPEN FIELD & SLIPPED THE ACFT TO IMPROVE HIS ABILITY TO SEE DURING THE LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER & BURNED. THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INJURIES, BUT WAS TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. EVIDENCE OF AN INFLT FIRE WAS FOUND WHERE THE FUEL LINE WAS ROUTED IN THE AREA JUST FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL & THE PLT'S LEFT RUDDER PEDAL. THE FUEL STRAINER & SOME FUEL LINE CONNECTORS WERE LOCATED IN THIS AREA. THEY WERE NOT BURNED, BUT THEY HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO HEAT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WEST COVINA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91793
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
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 1325 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 82
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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) 30
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) 644
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24349
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 N9718D
NTSB Number LAX84FA283
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 Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22
Aircraft Serial Number 225530
Certified Max Gross Weight 1840
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3014
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOMMY L. KING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3947 PAMELA DR.
Aircraft Owner City CHINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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? 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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CNO
Departure City CHINO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --