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20110120000429A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-235 · San Luis Obispo, CA · January 20, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 20, 2011 · 13:15 local
Place
San Luis Obispo, CA
Airport
San Luis Regional Airport
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8608W
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR11LA102
Reported as
Piper PA-28-235
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N8608WRegistration cancelled Feb 25, 2012 · Piper PA-28-235S/N 28-10124 · Built 1963Airframe modelPiper PA-28-235Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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.

On 01/20/2011 at 1315 PST, Piper cherokee (N8608W) was inbound to the San Luis Obispo regional airport. While on final approach, air traffic control (ATC) requested that the accident aircraft slow down for sequence into the airport. The pilot reduced the throttle to 1700 - 2000 RPM and completed his pre-landing checklist items. The pilot stated that when he went to increase his power setting that he "discovered that there wasn't any power available". He advised ATC of an engine failure and they asked if he could make the airport. Since he was already below glide path and too FAR out he replied that he would be making an off airport landing. At about 1318 PST, N8608W made an off airport landing in a vineyard. The aircraft's wings received substantial damage from impact with metal "engineer" stakes that were used to support the vines in the vineyard. The engineer stakes sliced through the skin on the leading edge of both wings and ruptured three out of the four fuel tanks installed on the aircraft. The pilot was not injured in the accident.

As the FAA filed it

ON 01/20/2011 AT 1315 PST, PIPER CHEROKEE (N8608W) WAS INBOUND TO THE SAN LUIS OBISPO REGIONAL AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) REQUESTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT SLOW DOWN FOR SEQUENCE INTO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO 1700 - 2000 RPM AND COMPLETED HIS PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST ITEMS. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE WENT TO INCREASE HIS POWER SETTING THAT HE "DISCOVERED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY POWER AVAILABLE". HE ADVISED ATC OF AN ENGINE FAILURE AND THEY ASKED IF HE COULD MAKE THE AIRPORT. SINCE HE WAS ALREADY BELOW GLIDE PATH AND TOO FAR OUT HE REPLIED THAT HE WOULD BE MAKING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING.AT ABOUT 1318 PST, N8608W MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A VINEYARD. THE AIRCRAFT'S WINGS RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM IMPACT WITH METAL "ENGINEER" STAKES THAT WERE USED TO SUPPORT THE VINES IN THE VINEYARD. THE ENGINEER STAKES SLICED THROUGH THE SKIN ON THE LEADING EDGE OF BOTH WINGS AND RUPTURED THREE OUT OF THE FOUR FUEL TANKS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.

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 WPR11LA102Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Luis Obispo, CAThe loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of one attachment bolt for the left idler gear shaft, which resulted from an insufficient preload on both attachment bolts.Jan 20, 2011 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8608W · 1

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

Incident 20101111051019ICruise/Level Flight · Watsonville, CAOn November 11, 2010, the pilot of a Piper PA-28-235, N8608W, departed san luis obispo airport (sbp) enroute to lakeport (1O2). At around Watsonville airport (wvi), in a statement from the pilot, the engine started running rough. The pilot made several…Nov 11, 2010 · No damage