Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lake Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
South Lake Tahoe, California 96150
Saturday, August 25, 2012 21:45 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While taxiing to the ramp, the airplane’s engine shut down, and it took the pilots numerous attempts to restart it. After parking, the pilots reported to the attendants that the airplane’s fuel/air mixture was difficult to establish at such a high-density altitude and that, if the engine was operated too lean, its temperature exceeded normal operation parameters. Later that day, the pilots departed in dark night conditions. During the takeoff roll, most of the runway length was used before the airplane began to climb. Several witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to be having engine problems and, after being airborne for about 3 seconds, it descended into terrain. Additionally, some witnesses reported that the engine sounded as if it was not producing full power and that the ascent seemed labored. The airplane impacted trees located on flat terrain about 2,400 feet from the end of the runway. The main wreckage was consumed by postimpact fire. Examination of the accident site revealed that the right wing impacted a tree in a wings-level attitude. The postaccident examinations revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Although it could not be confirmed, it is likely that the left-seat pilot was the flying pilot and that the right-seat pilot, who owned the airplane and had been consuming alcohol before the flight, was not the pilot-in-command.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examinations revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and the pilots’ decision to continue the departure in dark night conditions with the engine not producing full power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/25/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2145 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | South Lake Tahoe |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96150 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 385338N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1195943W |
| Event Location Airport | Lake Tahoe Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TVL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.43 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 6269 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2153 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TVL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6269 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KTVL 260453Z AUTO 20003KT 10SM CLR 16/03 A30 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 5 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32676 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 11 2014 6:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kelz |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N588ET |
| NTSB Number | WPR12FA369 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-301T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-8024044 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 14 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3381 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FRANCISCO DE LA MORA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | FRESNO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93722-4705 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | FRANCISCO DE LA MORA |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | FRESNO |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 93722-4705 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TVL |
| Departure City | South Lake Tahoe |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2140 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FAT |
| Destination City | Fresno |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 14 2014 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 8541 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |