N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lone Pine, California 93545
Monday, September 15, 2014 11:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On September 15, 2014, about 1115 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-150, N5948W, experienced severe vibrations and the pilot initiated a forced landing onto a meadow about 15 miles southwest of Lone Pine, California. The pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and it is unknown if a flight plan was filed for the flight which departed from Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County, San Jose, California. The pilot reported to first responders that while he was in cruise flight part of the propeller blade separated from the airplane. The airplane vibrated so violently that the only thing he could do was to land immediately. The airplane has been recovered to a secure location for further examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/2014
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Lone Pine
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93545
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 362708N
Event Location Longitude 1182023W
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 1056 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 359
Weather Observation Facility ID BIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 4124
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 52
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KBIH 151756Z AUTO 36004KT 10SM FEW120 30/05 A3007
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) --
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 Sep 24 2014 4:01PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5948W
NTSB Number WPR14LA377
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 28
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3636
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CASSELL TIMOTHY M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SARATOGA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 950703608
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CASSELL TIMOTHY M
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SARATOGA
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 950703608
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 RHV
Departure City San Jose
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 24 2014 4:01PM
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 --