N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fair Oaks, California 95628
Thursday, December 5, 2013 15:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, after departure on a personal cross-country flight that he had made numerous times, he climbed the airplane to 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and then requested flight following services. As he neared the destination airport, he requested and received a descent to 3,500 feet msl from air traffic control (ATC). Upon reaching 3,500 feet msl, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and the controller gave him a heading to the closest airport. The pilot’s continued attempts to restart the engine failed, and, when he realized the airplane was not going to be able to reach the airport, he executed a forced landing to a soccer field, and the airplane collided with a car, trees, and terrain. Examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found on board the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the atmospheric conditions were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. 

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/2013
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Fair Oaks
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95628
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390460N
Event Location Longitude 1212560W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID KMFR
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32956
NTSB Notification Source NW Mountain FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 16 2014 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6595P
NTSB Number WPR14LA061
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 24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier 250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1717
Certified Max Gross Weight 2899
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3550
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name MCBRIDE MARK R
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Auburn
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95603
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MCBRIDE MARK R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Auburn
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95603
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 KSNS
Departure City Salinas
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KAUN
Destination City Auburn
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 16 2014 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --