# NTSB WPR14LA061: Piper PA 24-250, N6595P, Fair Oaks, CA, December 5, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 5, 2013, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Fair Oaks, CA - Coordinates: 39.083332, -121.433334 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0833&lon=-121.4333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88521 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88521/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88521 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA061 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, after departure on a personal cross-country flight that he had made numerous times, he climbed the airplane to 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and then requested flight following services. As he neared the destination airport, he requested and received a descent to 3,500 feet msl from air traffic control (ATC). Upon reaching 3,500 feet msl, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and the controller gave him a heading to the closest airport. The pilot's continued attempts to restart the engine failed, and, when he realized the airplane was not going to be able to reach the airport, he executed a forced landing to a soccer field, and the airplane collided with a car, trees, and terrain. Examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found on board the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the atmospheric conditions were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On December 5, 2013, about 1500 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24 airplane, N6595P, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport forced landing within the city limits of Fair Oaks, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The solo pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the pilot was participating in air traffic control (ATC) flight following. The airplane departed the Salinas Airport (KSNS), Salinas, California, about 1400, and was bound for the Auburn Municipal Airport (KAUN), Auburn, California. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on December 9, the pilot stated that he departed Salinas for his home airport in Auburn. He said that he has made the flight on numerous occasions. Typically he departs Salinas Airport, climbs to 6,500 feet above sea level (msl), and requests flight following services. When he gets close enough to see his destination, he requests a descent to 3,500 feet msl, and continues to the destination airport. The pilot said the flight proceeded normally until he requested the descent to 3,500 feet msl. After being granted the descent, he throttled the engine back to 2,100 rpm, and applied full carburetor heat, and enriched the mixture. Upon reaching 3,500 feet, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He said he reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and received a heading to Sacramento Mather Airport (KMHR), the closest airport to his position. He said he made the nearly 180 degree turn toward the airport, and continued attempts to restart the engine. Unable to restart the engine, and apparent that he was not going to reach the airport, the pilot attempted to land in soccer fields at Phoenix Park, Fair Oaks. He did not extend the retracted landing gear. During the landing, the airplane collided with a car, trees and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said he had not experienced any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. On December 6, the airplane was examined at the accident site by an FAA air safety inspector, and no mechanical anomalies were found. An examination of the airplane's maintenance logbooks did not reveal any anomalies or unresolved discrepancies. An examination of the recovered wreckage was conducted March 28, 2014 by an NTSB air safety investigator. The examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. A copy of the examination report is contained in the public docket for this accident. Given the weather conditions at the time of the event, and consulting a Carburetor Icing Chart, it is unlikely carburetor ice wasresponsible for the engine's loss of power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6595P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6595P-2018-05-31), registration cancelled 2018-05-31, S/N 24-1717, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 24-250 (250) - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1717 - Year built: 1960 - Airframe hours: 3550 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A1A 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mcbride Mark R - Registered owner: Mcbride Mark R - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 30, 2013 - Departed: KSNS, Salinas, CA - Destination: KAUN, Auburn, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,287 total, 300 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KMFR, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20131205025229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131205025229A), Dec 5, 2013: Piper PA-24-250, Fair Oaks, CA, Destroyed. On December 5, 2013 N6595P a Piper PA-24-250, comanche departed the salinas municipal airport (sns), salinas, CA, at approximately (2144Z) 13:44 local PST.… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 20, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88521. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408229&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Carb Ice Probability Chart (item 2, .PDF, 262 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40412414&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carb%20Ice%20Probability%20Chart-Master.PDF - Engine Examination Report (item 3, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40412415&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Examination%20Report-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.