# Accident 20020819019979A: Piper PA28R200, Solaketahoe, CA, August 19, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 19, 2002, 10:35 local time - Place: Solaketahoe, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.7831° N, 120.0331° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7831&lon=-120.0331&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7794C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7794C-2014-12-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02FA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02FA255) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020819019979A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON AUGUST 19, 2002, AT 1035 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-200 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7794C, WAS DESTROYED UPON COLLISION WITH TREES AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA. THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE, SERIAL NUMBER 28R-7635117, WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 112 NAUTICAL-MILE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FOR WHICH NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT (TVL), NEAR SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA, WITH THE BUCHANAN FIELD AIRPORT (CCR), NEAR CONCORD, CALIFORNIA, AS ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE 1,100-HOUR PILOT HAD OWNED AND OPERATED THE AIRPLANE SINCE DECEMBER 16, 1987. HE WAS REPORTED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN AND THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT, HAVING VISITED HIS FAMILY'S CABIN SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS. ACCORDING TO ATC DATA, THE PILOT CONTACTED GROUND CONTROL AT 1025:55 LOCAL AND REQUESTED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FOR DEPARTURE. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 18 AND WAS PROVIDED THE WIND FROM 180 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.06 INCHES, AND TOLD TO "CHECK DENSITY ALTITUDE." AT 1030:33 LOCAL, THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE TOWER FREQUENCY AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT-OUT DEPARTURE OVER ECHO SUMMIT. A FAMILY MEMBER THAT ACCOMPANIED THE PILOT TO THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE GROUND IN ABOUT A THIRD OF THE RUNWAY AND INITIATED A SLOW CLIMB IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. NO FURTHER CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AT A FIELD ELEVATION OF 6,264 FEET MSL, THE LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT IS SURROUNDED ON THE SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST SIDES BY RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN OF THE SIERRA NEVADA. THE PREFERRED ARRIVAL RUNWAY IS RUNWAY 18, WITH RUNWAY 36 BEING THE PREFERRED DEPARTURE RUNWAY. A RIGHT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE IS RECOMMENDED FOR DEPARTURES FROM RUNWAY 18. ANOTHER OPTION USED BY LOCAL PILOTS DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 18 IS TO GAIN ALTITUDE WHILE CIRCLING THE LAKE TAHOE GOLF COURSE, LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT PERIMETER. A MISSING AIRCRAFT ALERT WAS ISSUED AFTER CONCERNED FAMILY MEMBERS CONTACTED THE FAA TO REPORT THAT THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO ARRIVED AT ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED AFTER A POST-IMPACT FIRE SPARKED A FOREST FIRE THAT ENDED UP CONSUMING APPROXIMATELY345 ACRES WITHIN THE EL DORADO NATIONAL FOREST. THE FIRE, LOCALLY KNOWN AS "SHOWERS FIRE," CONTINUED TO BURN FOR 4-5 DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE, CONFIGURED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED AND THE FLAPS IN THE UP POSITION, IMPACTED MATURED PINE TREES AND TERRAIN IN A SLIGHT LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE ON A MEASURED HEADING OF 011 DEGREES. THE ACCIDENT SITE, AT AN ELEVATION OF 7,432 FEET MSL, WAS APPROXIMATELY 7.2 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH (173 DEGREES) FROM THE LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE INVERTED POSITION ON A MEASURED HEADING OF 116 DEGREES. A POST-IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF THE WRECKAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITS PRIOR TO ITS DEPARTURE FROM THE LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED AT 8,551 FEET AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE.(-23) ON AUGUST 19, 2002, AT 1035 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA28R-200 SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7794C, WAS DESTROYED UPON COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR ECHO SUMMIT, CALIFORNIA. THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. ## 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 LAX02FA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02FA255), Aug 19, 2002: Piper PA-28R-200 (N7794C), Echo Summit, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue the flight into the rising mountainous terrain, and subsequent failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Contributing factors were the rising mountainous terrain,… ## Other reports on N7794C (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19871224077899I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871224077899I), Dec 24, 1987: Piper PA28R200 (N7794C), Lower Lake, CA, Minor damage. First approach high and fast. Made a go around. Forgot to Lower gear. Landed gear up. - [Accident 19771213037659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19771213037659A), Dec 13, 1977: Piper PA28R200 (N7794C), Colleyville, TX, Substantial damage. Wind gusting to 22KTS. 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.