Accident Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance HB-PRE, Thursday 26 August 2010
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Date:Thursday 26 August 2010
Time:13:09
Type:Silhouette image of generic P32R model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance
Owner/operator:Bodanair AG
Registration: HB-PRE
MSN: 32R-7780071
Year of manufacture:1976
Total airframe hrs:1256 hours
Engine model:Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:About 600 metres west from Saanen Airport (LSGK) -   Switzerland
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Saanen Airfield (LSGK)
Destination airport:Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH/LSZH)
Investigating agency: BFU Switz.
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The Piper Cheroke Lance took off from Saanen Airport (LSGK) but failed to gain height. It crashed about 600 metres west from the end of the runway end and caught fire.
All three occupants were killed.


Causes
The accident is attributable to the fact that shortly after take-off a collision with the terrain occurred because the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient height because of significantly reduced engine power. The loss of engine power can be explained by corrosion and wear damage to the camshaft and the tappet bodies.
The following factors contributed to the accident:
- Continuation of the take-off despite reduced engine power.
- Non-compliance with the recommendations of the manufacturer concerning the known corrosion problems in the engine.
- Non-integration of the corresponding recommendations of the manufacturer in the maintenance program of the engine.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: BFU Switz.
Report number: 2160
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 3 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://bazonline.ch/region/thun/Drei-Tote-bei-Flugzeugabsturz-in-Saanen/story/12550599
http://old.news.ch/Drei+Tote+bei+Flugzeugabsturz+in+Saanen/452965/detail.htm
http://www.tagesschau.sf.tv/Nachrichten/Archiv/2010/08/27/Schweiz/Flugzeugabsturz-in-Saanen-Maschine-gewann-kaum-an-Hoehe

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6855192&nseq=0 (photo)

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
26-Aug-2010 09:02 steinmann Added
26-Aug-2010 10:04 RobertMB Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2010 10:52 Vaclav Kudela Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, ]
26-Aug-2010 10:52 copi Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, ]
26-Aug-2010 13:25 angels one five Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2010 13:26 Alpine Flight Updated [Aircraft type, ]
26-Aug-2010 20:58 angels one five Updated [Phase, Narrative, ]
26-Aug-2010 22:53 RobertMB Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
27-Aug-2010 10:13 gerard57 Updated [Destination airport, Source, ]
28-Aug-2010 06:54 harro Updated [Time, Nature, Destination airport, Source, ]
28-May-2025 16:13 Eintagsflieger Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
28-May-2025 16:16 ASN Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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