# Accident 19980514009209A: Piper PA22160, Clarksburg, CA, May 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 1998, 18:00 local time
- Place: Clarksburg, CA
- Airport: Borges-Clarksburg Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3708° N, 121.5801° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3708&lon=-121.5801&mi=10
- Aircraft: N198TP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N198TP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-160 (registry code 7102214, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-160) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22160
- Reported engine: LYC O320B2B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,300 total, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA157) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980514009209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT EXPER ENGINE FAILURE AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD OFF THE END OF RWY, CLARKSBURG, CA. (.4) ON MAY 14, 1998, AT 1800 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-22-160, N198TP, REGISTERED TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S AND PILOT'S ASSOCIATION (AOPA), EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE UNCONTROLLED CLARKSBURG AIRPORT, CLARKSBURG, CALIFORNIA. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AT 1750. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO TAKING OFF FOR THE PLANNED 10-MINUTE LONG FLIGHT BOTH FUEL TANKS CONTAINED OVER 5 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND ALL AIRPLANE SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE PILOT ARRIVED AT CLARKSBURG AND ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED, THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT AFTER TURNING ONTO THE BASE LEG HE MOVED THE THROTTLE FORWARD TO INCREASE ENGINE POWER, AND THE ENGINE "BLUBBERED AND TOTALLY LOST POWER." THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) COORDINATOR RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE AND EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE. THE FAA REPORTED IT EXAMINED THE POWERPLANT, INDUCTION SYSTEM, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND MAGNETOS. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CARBURETOR WERE FUNCTIONALLY EXAMINED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA157), May 15, 1998: Piper PA-22-160 (N198TP), Clarksburg, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power for undetermined non-mechanical reasons. A contributing factor in the landing nose-over was the presence of the soft terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.