LAX84MA392

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-31T · Concord, CA · July 14, 1984

Accident · FatalMajor investigationFinal report
Date
July 14, 1984, 12:12 local (19:12 UTC)
Place
Concord, CA
Injuries
6 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
DIKKSPiper PA-31T
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
24423

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final
Planned approach - improperPilot in commandFactor
Diverted attentionPilot in commandFactor
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectDescent - uncontrolled
Object - building(nonresidential)

Analysis

The Piper PA-31T was a foreign registered acft (federal republic of germany). The owner/plt in the left front seat held a german commercial certificate with airplane instrument, single eng land & multi-eng land ratings. The plt in the right front seat held an American private certificate with an airplane single eng land rating. During arrival, the acft was cleared to enter a right traffic pattern for rwy 32R & was to follow a decathlon that was landing on the same rwy. When the PA-31 aircrew called turning onto a base leg, the tower asked if they had the decathlon in sight, but they did not reply. The decathlon plt was then instructed to change his apch to 32L & was cleared to land. The PA-31 was observed to overshoot the turn to the final apch course to rwy 32R. Witnesses reported the acft madean erratic, slow speed, nose hi turn at low alt, then it entered a right turn, nose down spin, crashed & burned. Impact occurred on a ground structure. An investigation revealed no preimpact/part failure or malfunction. Fire dmg to 5 autos.

Aircraft

Registration
DIKKS
Reported as
Piper PA-31T
Category
Airplane
Serial number
8120034
Engine
P&W PT6A-28, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Klaus Schroter
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
SMO · Santa Monica, CA
Destination
CCR · Concord, CA
Airport
CCR · Buchanan, runway 32, 4,600 × 150 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
49
Certificate
Foreign
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
1,400 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 8 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
97 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
CCR, 5 nm away