N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Creek, California 93513
Thursday, October 24, 2013 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, who was a co-owner of the airplane, reported to an air traffic controller about 1 hour into a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain that the engine had lost oil pressure and then power. The pilot performed a forced landing into trees. Postaccident examination revealed that the loss of engine power resulted from oil starvation due to oil leaking from a fractured fitting at the oil pressure gauge/sending unit port on the engine’s rear accessory case. An oil pressure sending unit, which the pilot, who was not a certificated mechanic, had installed at this location just before the accident flight, was found dangling by its electrical wiring harness and not supported. The sending unit was not approved for installation on this airplane. It is likely that the fitting fractured because of vibration due to the sending unit’s lack of support. The engine operating time between the installation of the sending unit and the fitting fracture was about 1 hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to the improper installation of an oil pressure sending unit by the pilot, who was not a certificated mechanic, which resulted in a forced landing in mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/2013
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Big Creek
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93513
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371101N
Event Location Longitude 1190819W
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 72
Weather Observation Facility ID BIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 4124
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.12
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32925
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 Jul 2 2014 2:40PM
User who most recently changed record strj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30865
NTSB Number WPR14LA031
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 28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 283619
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 May 18 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6553
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PETERSON ARNIE D
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BIG PINE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93513-2039
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PETERSON ARNIE D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Big Pine
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93513
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIH
Departure City Bishop
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FCH
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 Jul 3 2014 5:18PM
User who most recently changed record strj
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 --