Buchanan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Concord, California 94520
Saturday, July 14, 1984 12:12 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PIPER PA-31T WAS A FOREIGN REGISTERED ACFT (FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY). THE OWNER/PLT IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT HELD A GERMAN COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE WITH AIRPLANE INSTRUMENT, SINGLE ENG LAND & MULTI-ENG LAND RATINGS. THE PLT IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT HELD AN AMERICAN PRIVATE CERTIFICATE WITH AN AIRPLANE SINGLE ENG LAND RATING. DURING ARRIVAL, THE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO ENTER A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 32R & WAS TO FOLLOW A DECATHLON THAT WAS LANDING ON THE SAME RWY. WHEN THE PA-31 AIRCREW CALLED TURNING ONTO A BASE LEG, THE TOWER ASKED IF THEY HAD THE DECATHLON IN SIGHT, BUT THEY DID NOT REPLY. THE DECATHLON PLT WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE HIS APCH TO 32L & WAS CLEARED TO LAND. THE PA-31 WAS OBSERVED TO OVERSHOOT THE TURN TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 32R. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT MADEAN ERRATIC, SLOW SPEED, NOSE HI TURN AT LOW ALT, THEN IT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN, NOSE DOWN SPIN, CRASHED & BURNED. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A GROUND STRUCTURE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT/PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. FIRE DMG TO 5 AUTOS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/14/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CONCORD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94520
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BUCHANAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CCR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1212 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CCR
Elevation of weather observation facility 23
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25437
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 DIKKS
NTSB Number LAX84MA392
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
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31T
Aircraft Serial Number 8120034
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KLAUS SCHROTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address OBERGOCKESHOHL #6
Aircraft Owner City ALTENA
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SMO
Departure City SANTA MONICA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 10
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCR
Destination City CONCORD
Destination State CA
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 32
Runway Length 4600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --