- Date
- August 18, 1994, 19:07 local (Aug 19, 1994, 02:07 UTC)
- Place
- Riverside, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3415MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940818021719A
- Case key
- 28830
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 total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
While cruising, the pilot experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot made a forced landing in a street and collided with two automobiles. A responding police officer reported observing fuel in the street near the airplane. The airplane and engine were examined by an airplane mechanic. The mechanic reported finding evidence of fuel in the airplane. No evidence was found of any mechanical problems with the airplane's engine. The mechanic reported that the engine appeared capable of producing power.
Factual narrative
On August 18, 1994, at 1907 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N3415M, operated by its owner, experienced a total loss of engine power while cruising near Riverside, California. The pilot made a forced landing on a city street, and during rollout, collided with two occupied automobiles. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certificated airline transport pilot received minor injuries. No one on the ground was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight which originated from Lake Havasu, Arizona, at 1730.
According to a police officer who responded to the accident site, fuel was observed in the street near the airplane. Under the direction of the National Transportation Safety Board, the airplane was examined by an airplane mechanic. The mechanic reported finding evidence of fuel in the airplane. No evidence was found of any mechanical problems with the airplane's engine. The mechanic reported that the engine appeared capable of producing power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3415M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2265
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steven C. Walker
- Registered owner
- Steven C. Walker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1993 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- HII · Lake Havasu, AZ
- Destination
- CNO · Chino, CA
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 250 in this make and model · 3,040 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RAL, 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.