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20040229002849A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-180 · Mariposa, CA · February 29, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 29, 2004
Place
Mariposa, CA
Phase of flight
Final Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5205L
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX04LA143
Reported as
Piper PA28180
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A4A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,904 total392 in this make and model22 in the last 90 days
N5205LRegistered now · Piper PA-28-180S/N 28-4496 · Built 1967Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) privacy data omitted was acting as pilot in command of aircraft N5205L, which he owned, on a cross country flight from fullerton (ful) to Mariposa (O68), CA. He descended from 10,000 feet MSL in preparation for approach into Mariposa, CA. At 4,500 feet MSL his aircraft engine quit. The electric fuel pump was on, he switched fuel tanks and the carb. Heat was applied. The engine began to run again for approximately one minute and quit for the second and final time. He then made an emergency landing in a field approximately eight miles southeast of the Mariposa airport (O68). The aircraft nose wheel separated from the aircraft after landing and bogging down in the mud. The engine cowling was bent. The aircraft propeller was bent. The pilot and one passenger, privacy data omitted wife, suffered minor injuries. Post accident investigation determined that there was four and one half gallons of fuel in the left tank and eight gallons of fuel in the right tank of the aircraft. The cause of the engine failure is unknown at this time.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA ^ WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF AIRCRAFT N5205L, WHICH HE OWNED, ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM FULLERTON (FUL) TO MARIPOSA (O68), CA. HE DESCENDED FROM 10,000 FEET MSL IN PREPARATION FOR APPROACH INTO MARIPOSA, CA. AT 4,500 FEET MSL HIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WAS ON, HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND THE CARB. HEAT WAS APPLIED. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN AGAIN FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AND QUIT FOR THE SECOND AND FINAL TIME. HE THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE MARIPOSA AIRPORT (O68). THE AIRCRAFT NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING AND BOGGING DOWN IN THE MUD. THE ENGINE COWLING WAS BENT. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER WAS BENT. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ WIFE, SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS FOUR AND ONE HALF GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND EIGHT GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX04LA143Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMariposa, CAThe total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Feb 29, 2004 · Substantial damage