# Accident 19980705015839A: Piper PA28140, Chico, CA, July 5, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 1998, 14:00 local time
- Place: Chico, CA
- Airport: Ranchaero Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7407° N, 121.8293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7407&lon=-121.8293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N592SP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N592SP-2000-03-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 904 total, 333 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980705015839A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 LAX98LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA222), Jul 5, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N592SP), Chico, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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.

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