Accident Piper PA-25-235 N4450Y, Tuesday 26 September 1989

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Date:	Tuesday 26 September 1989
Time:	15:25 LT
Type:	Piper PA-25-235
Owner/operator:	Brett & Karen Willat
Registration:	N4450Y
MSN:	25-4093
Year of manufacture:	1966
Total airframe hrs:	5641 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-540
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Warner Springs, CA - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	(CL35)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT ESTIMATED THE ACFT HAD ABOUT 10 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN HE DEPARTED ON A GLIDER TOW FLIGHT. AFTER THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED, HE RETURNED TO THE ARPT FOR A LANDING. WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT TRIED TO GLIDE THE ACFT TO THE RWY; HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE RWY, THE ACFT HIT A TREE & CRASHED. NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF POWER.

Probable Cause: LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE OBSTRUCTION (TREE) WAS A FACTOR.

Accident investigation: