What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 27th ,2010 about 1135 pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N847DE, departed the Merced airport. Approximately 15 minutes later the pilot the pilot declared a emergency and stated the following; " all kinds of trouble/problems in the cockpit.. I will try to make it back to Merced airport…. I'm following childs ave…. The aircraft was observed flying very low almost hitting a mc donald's. the aircraft pitched up and cleared the building but flew into a tree, the aircraft continued to fly and hit a 75 ft telephone pole right between the right engine and fuselage, the top 4 feet was knocked down of the pole. The aircraft continued to fly and crossed highway 99 at 15 feet before it hit the embankment of the childs ave off ramp. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage as it continued to slide up the embankment for an additional 66 ft.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 27TH ,2010 ABOUT 1135 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-30, N847DE, DEPARTED THE MERCED AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER THE PILOT THE PILOT DECLARED A EMERGENCY AND STATED THE FOLLOWING; " ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE/PROBLEMS IN THE COCKPIT.. I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT BACK TO MERCED AIRPORT…. I'M FOLLOWING CHILDS AVE…. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING VERY LOW ALMOST HITTING A MC DONALD'S. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND CLEARED THE BUILDING BUT FLEW INTO A TREE, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY AND HIT A 75 FT TELEPHONE POLE RIGHT BETWEEN THE RIGHT ENGINE AND FUSELAGE, THE TOP 4 FEET WAS KNOCKED DOWN OF THE POLE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY AND CROSSED HIGHWAY 99 AT 15 FEET BEFORE IT HIT THE EMBANKMENT OF THE CHILDS AVE OFF RAMP. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND FUSELAGE AS IT CONTINUED TO SLIDE UP THE EMBANKMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 66 FT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.