What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 11, 2002, at 1320 hours pacific standard time, a Piper PA22-108, N4895Z, collided with the ground in a field near Tehachapi, California, during the takeoff initial climb. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot and passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1310 from the Tehachapi Municipal Airport runway 29, located at 3,993 feet mean sea level (MSL). According to a sheriff's deputy, who witnessed the accident, the airplane barely cleared power lines during the initial climb. The airplane performed two 360-degree turns and stalled, impacting in a field about 4,200 MSL. The fuel tanks were determined to be full at the time of departure, according to the federal aviation administration inspector. (-23) pilot departs fortuna airport, eureka, CA at approx. 0500 hrs./PST and stops at Tehachapi Municipal Airport (tsp) for fuel at approx. 1330 hrs/pst. Pilot stated the he performed an aircraft pre-flight inspection from memory without a checklist. Pilot stated that he performed an engine run-up & magneto check prior to take-off - ok, and did not look at the tachometer gage for RPM reading. On take-off: poor climb-out, barely cleared power lines located 1/2 mile after take-off, aircraft doesn't climb, and has a decreasing speed. Pilot circles open field area attempting to gain altitude, while airspeed decreases, aircraft stalls and crashes. The kern county sheriff, deputy dugan, finds a 1 liter spring water bottle filled with an alcoholic beverage smell, pilot confirms it is vodka. Pilot's blood alcohol tested with breath analyzer & blood sample tests, both show .056% by weight. (Ref: FAR 91.17(a)(4) .04% by weight is max).
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 11, 2002, AT 1320 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA22-108, N4895Z, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A FIELD NEAR TEHACHAPI, CALIFORNIA, DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1310 FROM THE TEHACHAPI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT RUNWAY 29, LOCATED AT 3,993 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). ACCORDING TO A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE BARELY CLEARED POWER LINES DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED TWO 360-DEGREE TURNS AND STALLED, IMPACTING IN A FIELD ABOUT 4,200 MSL. THE FUEL TANKS WERE DETERMINED TO BE FULL AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR. (-23) PILOT DEPARTS FORTUNA AIRPORT, EUREKA, CA AT APPROX. 0500 HRS./PST AND STOPS AT TEHACHAPI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (TSP) FOR FUEL AT APPROX. 1330 HRS/PST. PILOT STATED THE HE PERFORMED AN AIRCRAFT PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION FROM MEMORY WITHOUT A CHECKLIST. PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED AN ENGINE RUN-UP & MAGNETO CHECK PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF - OK, AND DID NOT LOOK AT THE TACHOMETER GAGE FOR RPM READING. ON TAKE-OFF: POOR CLIMB-OUT, BARELY CLEARED POWER LINES LOCATED 1/2 MILE AFTER TAKE-OFF, AIRCRAFT DOESN'T CLIMB, AND HAS A DECREASING SPEED. PILOT CIRCLES OPEN FIELD AREA ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ALTITUDE, WHILE AIRSPEED DECREASES, AIRCRAFT STALLS AND CRASHES. THE KERN COUNTY SHERIFF, DEPUTY DUGAN, FINDS A 1 LITER SPRING WATER BOTTLE FILLED WITH AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SMELL, PILOT CONFIRMS IT IS VODKA. PILOT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL TESTED WITH BREATH ANALYZER & BLOOD SAMPLE TESTS, BOTH SHOW .056% BY WEIGHT. (REF: FAR 91.17(A)(4) .04% BY WEIGHT IS MAX).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4895Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.