- Date
- September 21, 1991, 11:36 local (18:36 UTC)
- Place
- Placerville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N82857Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910921042239A
- Case key
- 27027
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
The pilot's attempted takeoff at a high density airport with the airplane exceeding its maximum gross takeoff weight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of illegal drugs and abuse of prescription drugs.
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 four place airplane was loaded with five occupants and was departing a high density altitude airport en route to another high density altitude airport for refueling. The airplane exceeded its maximum takeoff gross weight. Positive results were obtained during the toxicologial analysis routine alcohol and drug tests. The pilot tested positive for benzoylecgonine, phendimetrazine, and phenmetrazine. According to forensic toxicologists, benzoylecgonine is a metabolite of cocaine. Phendimetrazine is a chemical found in prescription appetite suppressants and phenmetrazine is the metabolite of phendimetrazine. The forensic toxicologist also indicated the quantities of phendimetrazine and phenmetrazine found in the pilot's system were elevated and exceeded therapeutic levels.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82857
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8316004
- Airframe hours
- 1,845
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thom, Darrell D.
- Registered owner
- Thom, Darrell D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1991 · 51 hours before
- Destination
- PVF · Placerville, CA
- Airport
- 61Q · Swansboro, runway 9, 3,200 × 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MHR, 30 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.