- Date
- September 5, 1993, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bryce Canyon, UT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7148YPiper PA-30
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930905039899A
- Case key
- 41760
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
Loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. Factors related to the forced landing were: high density altitude and rough terrain.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the right engine lost power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and the airplane would not maintain altitude. The pilot initiated a left 180 degree turn back toward the airport; however, he realized that the airplane was not going to reach the runway, so he opted to land on rough terrain. After the airplane was retrieved, the engine was prepared for a test run. It started and was run for several minutes at varying power settings with no evidence found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction. Density altitude was about 8950 feet.
Factual narrative
On September 5, 1993, at 0730 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N7148Y, collided with the terrain one mile north of the Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce Canyon, Utah, while maneuvering to return for an emergency landing at the airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that indications were normal for the start, taxi, run-up, and takeoff. After the airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 300 feet above ground level, the right engine lost power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot made a left, 180 degree turn back toward the airport, however, the airplane was unable to reach the runway, and the pilot landed the airplane on rough desert terrain.
After the airplane was retrieved, the right engine was placed on a test stand and prepared for a test run. The engine started and ran at varying power settings for approximately ten minutes. No evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7148Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-165
- Airframe hours
- 5,461
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ghaemmaghami, Kamran
- Registered owner
- Ghaemmaghami, Kamran & Teri
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 11, 1992 · 105 hours before
- Departed
- BCE
- Destination
- U07 · Bullfrog, UT
- Airport
- BCE · Bryce Canyon, runway 3, 7,400 × 150 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,499 total · 198 in this make and model · 2,313 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CDC, 45 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.