- Date
- March 28, 1985, 16:00 local (Mar 29, 1985, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Death Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N802YPiper PA-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850328012099A
- Case key
- 24686
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
During a flt from reno, NV to phoenix, AZ, there was a partial power loss in the left eng as the acft was climbing thru 15,000 ft with an outside air temp of -15 deg. The fuel selectors could not be moved, so the plt retarded the right eng power & descended. The left eng continued to run rough, so he diverted & landed at the Death Valley arpt. About 1/2 hr after landing, the fuel selector could be moved. The plt said he drained the fuel tanks until the engs ran smoothly. He then loaded his passengers & started both engs. While taxiing to takeoff, the left eng lost power & would not restart. The passengers deplaned & then the plt made a single eng takeoff. After the acft became airborne, it climbed briefly, then began turning to the left. After turning about 130 deg, the acft impacted the ground between 2 sand dunes. Water was found in the left eng servo & right main fuel sump. A small amount of water was found mixed with fuel in the main tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N802Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-784
- Airframe hours
- 3,563
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Underwood Assoc. Inc.
- Registered owner
- Adelbert C. Underwood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 1984
- Departed
- L06 · Death Valley, CA
- Airport
- L06 · Death Valley, runway 15, 3,040 × 70 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,039 total · 2,418 in this make and model · 2,707 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.