- Date
- September 23, 1988, 06:36 local (13:36 UTC)
- Place
- Fullerton, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3451WPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880923040139A
- Case key
- 25866
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to properly preflight the acft followed by loss of power during takeoff. The plt also failed to about the takeoff.
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
The pilot of the Piper PA-32-260, that had been modified to a model PA-32-300 by exchanging the engine, taxied to the end of a 3121 foot runway for takeoff with calm wind conditions. The aircraft load consisted of full fuel tanks, pilot and passenger, and 30 pounds of luggage. A ground witness observed the aircraft to roll approximately 2850 feet before becoming airborne. Immediately after takeoff the aircraft touched down on a flat roof of a commerical building, collided with the parapet and crashed into the street below. The post crash engine exam revealed rust particles and water throughout the fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3451W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32319
- Airframe hours
- 1,600
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-KIA5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Aviation Club Of Fullerton
- Registered owner
- Bryant, Patrick W.
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 1988 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- FUL · Fullerton, CA
- Destination
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Airport
- FUL · Fullerton Muni, runway 6, 3,121 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,375 total · 20 in this make and model · 1,300 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SNA, 11 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.