Paradise Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paradise Lakes Estates, California 93203
Tuesady, September 7, 2010 9:42 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was taxiing to the run up area when the right wing collided with a chain link fence. The right wing tip tank caught fire, and the airplane turned to the right, coming to a stop with the nose into the fence. The right wing sustained crush damage and fire damage. About a year before this accident, the airport’s water well had become inoperative, and a new well was installed with the chain link fence around it, closer to the taxiway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the fence line (on the right side) to taxiway centerline is 19 feet. The tree line (on the left side) to taxiway centerline is 25 feet. The airplane's total wingspan is 33 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fence during taxi.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/2010
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 942
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Paradise Lakes Estates
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93203
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351036N
Event Location Longitude 1185538W
Event Location Airport Paradise Lake Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7CA2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 340
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 854 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 325
Weather Observation Facility ID KBFL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27735
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 2 2010 4:42PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32025
NTSB Number WPR10CA451
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7510008
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3170
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Joseph R Biafora, Jr
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Panorama City
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91402
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Joseph R Biafora, Jr
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Panorama City
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91402
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7CA2
Departure City Paradise Lakes Estates
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City Van Nuys
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 2 2010 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --