ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44835
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| Date: | Monday 31 May 2004 |
| Time: | 10:56 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-180 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7626J |
| MSN: | 28R-31007 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5784 hours |
| Engine model: | Textron Lycoming IO-360-B1E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Columbia, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Columbia Airport, CA (O22) |
| Minden-Tahoe Airport, NV (MEV/KMEV) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On May 31, 2004, at 1056 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N7626J, collided with level terrain following a loss of engine power after takeoff from runway 17 at Columbia Airport (O22), Columbia, California. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane was destroyed in the post impact fire. The private pilot/owner (seated in the right seat) and the commercial pilot (seated in the left seat) sustained fatal injuries. The cross-country flight originated from the Minden-Tahoe Airport (MEV) at 0900, and stopped at O22 before departing for the return flight to MEV about 1050. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The airplane descended to ground impact in the takeoff initial climb. On the takeoff roll and initial climb from a 4,670-foot runway, witnesses heard the engine sputtering, missing, and backfiring. An additional witness on the airport reported that his attention was drawn to the runway by "snap" and "pop" sounds from the engine. When he looked toward the noise, he saw the accident airplane about midfield. It sounded to him as if the engine were running lean. The airplane lifted off the ground and appeared to climb out slowly. He then heard the engine "snap" and "pop" again, which occurred a couple of times with about 2 to 3 seconds between each cycle. The abnormal engine sounds stopped, and the airplane climbed for an additional 5 seconds before the nose pitched up about 10 degrees. The witness then saw the airplane develop a high sink rate with an increasing nose up pitch attitude. Witnesses said the airplane remained in a nose high, wings level attitude until just before it dropped behind a tree line when the right wing dropped and the airplane hit the ground. The witness estimated the airplane traveled about 3/4 down the runway where it reached its highest altitude of 50 feet above the ground. A post impact fire ensued and the cockpit and engine were thermally damaged. An airframe and engine inspection and teardown were conducted with no preimpact mechanical anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operation. Investigators were able to establish that the owner (a private pilot) was seated in the right seat, and the commercial pilot was seated in the left seat. Investigators were not able to determine who was manipulating the controls at the time of the accident. The toxicology results for the commercial pilot showed levels of marihuana in the pilot's blood that indicated recent use, likely within the 8 hours prior to the accident.
Probable Cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reason during takeoff-initial climb, and the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall/mush. Factors associated with the accident are an inadvertent stall/mush, and the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20040608X00763&key=1
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Dec-2017 17:58 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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