- Date
- March 7, 1993, 15:02 local (23:02 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2221GPiper PA-32RT-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930307004519A
- Case key
- 27826
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
A partial loss of takeoff power due to inadequate maintenance and inspection which failed to detect magneto and spark plug deficiencies. In addition, the pilot failed to abort the takeoff after two unsuccessful attempts to get airborne. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the high density altitude and the pilot's lack of piloting experience.
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 takeoff, the airplane was heard to reduce power at mid-field, then full power was applied. It climbed to about 6 ft, settled back onto the rwy, climbed again to 6 ft, settled again, then continued its takeoff roll using most of the 5,850-FT rwy until reaching the arpt perimeter fence. It climbed to about 20 ft AGL, then settled into a house. The density altitude was 7,800 ft. engine examination revealed that the magneto-to-engine timing was off, the magneto internal timing was off on both sets of points, and both point gaps were off. In addition, 5 of the 12 spark plugs were found to have worn electrodes. One spark plug was not approved for the engine. A 100-HR inspection had been completed on 2/2/93, about 17 flight-hours before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2221G
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300 (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7985049
- Airframe hours
- 3,083
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- California Wings
- Registered owner
- Efm Venture Group, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 2, 1993 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- L35
- Destination
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- L35 · Big Bear City, runway 8, 5,850 × 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 7 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- L35, 1 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.