What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck a tree on landing, Chico, CA (-23) on July 5th, 1998, at approx. 1356 hours, N592SP, a Piper PA28-140, serial number 28-22438, departed Chico Ranchaero Airport, California (O23) on the first flight of the day. This was to be a sightseeing flight for the one pax on board. The owner/pilot, Mr. Cecil mslemore, was seated in the right front seat and the pax, Mr. Robert rollands, was seated in the left front seat. Mr. Rollands was not a certificated pilot and Mr. Mclemore stated that he was acting as PIC from the right seat. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced a reduction in power. The aircraft crashed in an almond orchard off the end of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed by the post impact fire. (.4) according to the pilot, he refueled the airplane with 50 gallons of fuel, 25 in each wing tank, prior to departure from his home base. He then flew to the accident airport, approximately 1 hour away. The next day he took family out for airplane rides. After takeoff, on the first flight of the day, he noted a decrease in engine RPM and could not maintain climb altitude. After the airplane started to lose altitude it impacted trees located at the departu re end of the runway. A postimpact fire subsequently destroyed the airplane. The pilot stated that he had selected the left tank for departure, as the right tank was low. Post examination of the fuel selector position revealed that the right tank had been selected. Aircraft and engine continuity were established and no discrepancies were noted. The engine uses about 8 gallons per hour at cruise power settings.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A TREE ON LANDING, CHICO, CA (-23) ON JULY 5TH, 1998, AT APPROX. 1356 HOURS, N592SP, A PIPER PA28-140, SERIAL NUMBER 28-22438, DEPARTED CHICO RANCHAERO AIRPORT, CALIFORNIA (O23) ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THIS WAS TO BE A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT FOR THE ONE PAX ON BOARD. THE OWNER/PILOT, MR. CECIL MSLEMORE, WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT AND THE PAX, MR. ROBERT ROLLANDS, WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT. MR. ROLLANDS WAS NOT A CERTIFICATED PILOT AND MR. MCLEMORE STATED THAT HE WAS ACTING AS PIC FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN ALMOND ORCHARD OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST IMPACT FIRE. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE REFUELED THE AIRPLANE WITH 50 GALLONS OF FUEL, 25 IN EACH WING TANK, PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM HIS HOME BASE. HE THEN FLEW TO THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AWAY. THE NEXT DAY HE TOOK FAMILY OUT FOR AIRPLANE RIDES. AFTER TAKEOFF, ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, HE NOTED A DECREASE IN ENGINE RPM AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN CLIMB ALTITUDE. AFTER THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE IT IMPACTED TREES LOCATED AT THE DEPARTU RE END OF THE RUNWAY. A POSTIMPACT FIRE SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD SELECTED THE LEFT TANK FOR DEPARTURE, AS THE RIGHT TANK WAS LOW. POST EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT TANK HAD BEEN SELECTED. AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE CONTINUITY WERE ESTABLISHED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. THE ENGINE USES ABOUT 8 GALLONS PER HOUR AT CRUISE POWER SETTINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.