# Accident 20230625013129A: Piper PA-24-250, Alturas, CA, June 25, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 25, 2023, 09:00 local time
- Place: Alturas, CA
- Airport: Alturas Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.4829° N, 120.5654° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4829&lon=-120.5654&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6430P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6430P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA239) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230625013129A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT:

"IFR FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE KAAT. SKY WAS CLEAR. I PLANNED ON GETTING SEATTLE CENTER ONCE AIRBORNE. GOT WEATHER ON ATIS. DID NORMAL PREFLIGHT OF AIRCRAFT. SUMPED ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS, NO SIGN OF WATER. LOADED TWO PASSENGERS, DID NORMAL ENGINE RUN UP, ALL CHECKED GOOD. TAXIED TO RWY 31 AT 08:35AM PDT. FULL POWER DOWN RWY ALL INSTRUMENTS IN THE GREEN. AT APPROX 5000 FEET MSL, ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS AND RUN ROUGH. I RETURNED TO KAAT AND LANDED RWY 31 AND TAXIED TO PARKING. ALL THREE OF US DEPLANED. I RE-DID A FULL PREFLIGHT OF AIRCRAFT INCLUDING RE-SUMPING ALL FOUR TANKS, CHECKED FOR LOOSE SPARKS PLUGS, MAGS, ETC. ALL ENGINE COMPONENTS LOOKED GOOD. I INSTRUCTED MY TWO PASSENGERS TO REMAIN ON THE GROUND WHILE I DID A SECOND ENGINE RUN UP AND ATTEMPTED A NORMAL PATTERN AROUND THE AIRPORT. AFTER ENGINE RUN UP, ALL SEEMED OK. I TOOK OFF RWY 21. ENGINE RAN GOOD UNTIL I REACHED A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET, THEN VIOLENT ENGINE SHAKING. I STARTED A LEFT TURN BACK TO AIRPORT AND IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL ENGINE POWER RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH."

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR23LA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA239), Jun 25, 2023: Piper PA-24-250 (N6430P), Alturas, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to the failure of the right magneto distributor gear and the pilot’s decision to conduct a test flight with known mechanical issues.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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