20051031027309A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Lodi, CA · October 31, 2005

Date: October 31, 2005 · 14:45 local
Place: Lodi, CA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N83785
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06LA023
Reported as: Piper PA28161
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 410 total250 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N83785Registration cancelled Jun 10, 2008 · Piper PA-28-161S/N 28-8116211 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-161 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) Shortly after 1400 hours the pilot took off from kingdom airport (020), departed the pattern, turned east and climbed to 2000 feet. Circling the edge of the city (Lodi), the pilot headed south and approximately 25 minutes into the flight the engine suddenly lost power and the propeller started to windmill. The pilot went through emergency procedures for restarting the engine including switching fuel tanks and switching on the fuel boost pump. Engine would only respond a little with the pilot pumping the throttle. At that point, being at a very low altitude, the pilot attempted to land in an open plowed field, ending up on the edge of a cherry orchard with no injuries to the two occupants and with substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER 1400 HOURS THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM KINGDOM AIRPORT (020), DEPARTED THE PATTERN, TURNED EAST AND CLIMBED TO 2000 FEET. CIRCLING THE EDGE OF THE CITY (LODI), THE PILOT HEADED SOUTH AND APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE PROPELLER STARTED TO WINDMILL. THE PILOT WENT THROUGH EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR RESTARTING THE ENGINE INCLUDING SWITCHING FUEL TANKS AND SWITCHING ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP. ENGINE WOULD ONLY RESPOND A LITTLE WITH THE PILOT PUMPING THE THROTTLE. AT THAT POINT, BEING AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN PLOWED FIELD, ENDING UP ON THE EDGE OF A CHERRY ORCHARD WITH NO INJURIES TO THE TWO OCCUPANTS AND WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 LAX06LA023Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLodi, CAa loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the trees.Oct 31, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N83785 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870404016809IIn Traffic Pattern-Circling · San Jose, CABird struck aircraft aircraft as pilot entered the traffic pattern. Large dent in right wing tank.Apr 4, 1987 · Minor damage