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20210219006549A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · San Pedro, CA · February 19, 2021

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 19, 2021 · 11:58 local
Place
San Pedro, CA
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N57014
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR21FA114
Reported as
Piper PA-32-260
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
365 total107 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days
N57014Registration cancelled Mar 23, 2023 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-7400014 · Built 1973Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260Engine 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.

Aircraft N57014, piloted by privacy data omitted, departed ktoa at approximately 11:47AM PST. The pilot was in communication with southern California terminal approach control (sct TRACON). At 11:55:29, the pilot reported that he was experiencing engine problems. After the controller asked about the what was wrong, the pilot stated, ?I have an engine wobble, no RPM?s.? About 20 seconds later the pilot added, ?I think I have to make an off-airport landing.? Several seconds later his final transmission his stated the long beach harbor appeared to be his best option and said, ? I am going to see if I can make it.? According to witnesses and video footage the pilot make a hard bank and lined up with an open space on the harbor grounds. During the final moments of his decent near his chosen landing area a semi-truck rounded a corner into the pilot?s path. The left wing of the aircraft collided with the front windshield area of the truck followed by the bottom of the aircraft colliding with a concrete barrier shortly after causing significant damage, removing the left wing and cockpit underside resulting in a cartwheel rotation, ultimately landing on its open belly sliding to a rest a short distance away.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT N57014, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED KTOA AT APPROXIMATELY 11:47AM PST. THE PILOT WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TERMINAL APPROACH CONTROL (SCT TRACON). AT 11:55:29, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE PROBLEMS. AFTER THE CONTROLLER ASKED ABOUT THE WHAT WAS WRONG, THE PILOT STATED, ?I HAVE AN ENGINE WOBBLE, NO RPM?S.? ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER THE PILOT ADDED, ?I THINK I HAVE TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.? SEVERAL SECONDS LATER HIS FINAL TRANSMISSION HIS STATED THE LONG BEACH HARBOR APPEARED TO BE HIS BEST OPTION AND SAID, ? I AM GOING TO SEE IF I CAN MAKE IT.? ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AND VIDEO FOOTAGE THE PILOT MAKE A HARD BANK AND LINED UP WITH AN OPEN SPACE ON THE HARBOR GROUNDS. DURING THE FINAL MOMENTS OF HIS DECENT NEAR HIS CHOSEN LANDING AREA A SEMI-TRUCK ROUNDED A CORNER INTO THE PILOT?S PATH. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AREA OF THE TRUCK FOLLOWED BY THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDING WITH A CONCRETE BARRIER SHORTLY AFTER CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, REMOVING THE LEFT WING AND COCKPIT UNDERSIDE RESULTING IN A CARTWHEEL ROTATION, ULTIMATELY LANDING ON ITS OPEN BELLY SLIDING TO A REST A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY.

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 WPR21FA114Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportLos Angeles, CAThe total loss of engine power due to the failure of the No. 6 exhaust valve for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.Feb 19, 2021 · Substantial damage