- Date
- December 2, 1989, 14:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place
- Hayward, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3350WPiper PA-32-437
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891202053269A
- Case key
- 26699
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
Engine failure due to water in fuel that was not discovered by the pilot during his preflight inspection of the fuel system.
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
Pilot reported all tanks were drained prior to engine start. Power loss occurred right after takeoff; landed adjacent to runway damaging gear and prop. Pilot also reported that apparently the blue seen in the fuel sample was a reflection of sky coloring - not fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3350W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-437
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- Lycoming EO-540-E4B5, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leroy Pierce
- Destination
- Livermore, CA
- Airport
- HWD · Hayward, runway 28R, 3,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,550 total · 350 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.