# NTSB WPR15FA174: Piper PA 22-135, N1348C, Livermore, CA, June 2, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 2015, 20:58 local (Jun 2, 2015, 03:58 UTC) - Place: Livermore, CA - Coordinates: 37.720832, -121.760002 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7208&lon=-121.7600&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report July 20, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Lycoming Engines, Oakland, Piper Aircraft Inc - NTSB case key (mKey): 91284 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15FA174 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91284/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91284 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15FA174 ## Probable cause A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined, because examination of the airframe and engine revealed no 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-22-135, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102206), [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. - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot departed on a local night flight. Shortly after takeoff, he reported a control difficulty to air traffic control tower personnel; he stated that he was going to make a circle, and troubleshoot the issue. There were no further transmissions from the pilot. A witness about 1/2 mile away from the airport said that the airplane caught his attention when he heard the engine cut out. He looked up, but couldn't see the airplane as it was dusk. He finally saw two outboard lights, one on each wing, and realized that the airplane was in a nose dive. According to the witness, it was not spinning, and the engine sounded like it was at full throttle. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed about on runway heading, and about 2 minutes into the flight it began a 180° turn. The airplane lost about 1,100 ft of altitude in 18 seconds during the turn. The radar track continued in a straight line until ground impact. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine or would have caused a control difficulty. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 2015, about 2058 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA22-135, N1348C, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Livermore Municipal Airport, Livermore, California. The airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The local personal flight departed Livermore at 2052. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported a control difficulty to air traffic control tower personnel; he stated that he was going to make a circle, and troubleshoot the issue. There were no further transmissions from the pilot. A witness about 1/2 mile away from the airport said that the airplane caught his attention when he heard the engine "cut out." He looked up, but couldn't see the airplane as it was dusk. He then heard the engine "revving to a higher rpm like a crop duster swooping down." He heard the engine sputter twice, and then increase rpm again. He finally saw two outboard lights, one on each wing, and realized that the airplane was in a nose dive. According to the witness, it was not spinning, and the engine sounded like it was at full throttle. A plot of recorded radar data indicated that the airplane climbed about on the runway heading to a maximum mode C reported altitude of 3,100 ft mean sea level. About 2 minutes into the flight, the airplane made a 180° left turn, and lost 1,100 ft of altitude in 18 seconds. The radar track continued in a straight line until it ended; the total duration of the flight was 2 minutes 48 seconds. The Alameda County Coroner completed an autopsy on the pilot, and determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot, which were negative for volatiles and tested drugs. The laboratory did not perform tests for carbon monoxide or cyanide. The last flight recorded in the pilot's notebook was on February 6, 2015. The pages from the previous 2 years totaled over 49 hours with none listed in the accident make and model. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage on site on June 2, 2015. The first identified point of ground contact was a series of ground scars consistent with the left and right main landing gear, gear legs, engine, cowling, left and right wing lift struts, and wings. A propeller blade had separated about 6 inches from the hub along an angular plane. The rest of the propeller was in the principal impact crater; it was not charred. The main wreckage was burned, and was in the middle of a charred area. All of the airplane's fabric covering was consumed by fire. The debris path was about 108 ft long, and oriented on a 318° magnetic heading. All major structural components of the airplanewere located at the accident site. Further examination of an aileron cable distortion by the NTSB Office of Research and Engineering Materials Laboratory determined that the cable distortion was a result of overload conditions. The postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1348C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1348C-2017-09-01), registration cancelled 2017-09-01, S/N 22-1141, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 22-135 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-135) (registry code 7102206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-1141 - Year built: 1953 - Airframe hours: 3612 - Engines: LYCOMING O-290-D2 135 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2014 - Departed: LVK, Livermore, CA - Destination: LVK, Livermore, CA - Airport: LVK, Livermore - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: fatal; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; toxicology performed; flight hours: 26,501 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 280° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: KLVK, 3 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 20150601009619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150601009619A), Jun 1, 2015: Piper PA-22-135, Livermore, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Aircraft was flying from Livermore, CA. (Lvk) and approx.3.3 miles northeast of Livermore municipal airport, pilot reported a flight control issue and aircraft… ## Other investigations on N1348C (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK68D0332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK68D0332), Mar 10, 1968: Piper PA-22 (N1348C), Eureka, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 11, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91284. 5.2 MB in all. - NTSB Materials Lab Exam (item 1, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454101&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Materials%20Lab%20Exam-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454102&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - Radar Track (item 3, .PDF, 297 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Radar%20Track-Master.PDF - NTSB Accident Site Summary (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 198 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454104&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Site%20Summary-Master.PDF - NTSB Airframe and Engine Examination (item 5, .PDF, 9 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454105&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination-Master.PDF - Maintenance Logbook Excerpts (item 6, .PDF, 827 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454106&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Logbook%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - Pilot Logbook Excerpts (item 7, .PDF, 390 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454107&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Logbook%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 8, .PDF, 700 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454108&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 9, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454109&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - NTSB Site Photos (item 10, .PDF, 7 photos, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454110&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Site%20Photos-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.