Piper PA-28R-200 N33SM

Summary

On 15 September 1992 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N33SM, operated by Air Desert Pacific Corporation, was involved in an accident near Avalon, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 September 1992 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Avalon, California, United States

Coordinates

33.3799, -118.4503

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N33SM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Air Desert Pacific Corporation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

La Verne → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

LAX92LA398

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT AT AN ALTITUDE WHICH PROVIDED INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FROM THE WATER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT FIREWALL, PROPELLER AND OTHER EXTERNAL STRUCTURES WAS REPORTED BY THE CATALINA AIRPORT ASST MANAGER SUBSEQUENT TO THE AIRCRAFT LANDING AT THE ISLAND. THE PILOT TOLD THE AIRPORT MANAGER THAT WHILE ENROUTE BETWEEN THE MAINLAND AND THE ISLAND HIS ENGINE QUIT, AND, JUST BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE OCEAN, HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY SAID THAT THE NOSE GEAR HIT THE WATER DURING THE EVENT. THE PILOT, AN ITALIAN NATIONAL, DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT TO THE FAA, THE SAFETY BOARD OR THE FBO WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS RENTED AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO ITALY. AFTER THE AIRPLANE LANDED, AIRPORT EMPLOYEES OBSERVED THE PILOT POUR A HANDFUL OF DIRT INTO THE OIL FILLER TUBE. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT. HE REPORTED THAT THE TIPS OF BOTH PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT SYMMETRICALLY BACK AT 45 DEGREE ANGLES WITHOUT LEADING EDGE DAMAGE OR CORDWISE SCRATCHES. THE BOTTOM PART OF THE FIREWALL WAS BENT AFT AND UPWARD CRUSH DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWL. THE ENTRY STEP WAS RIPPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LOWER ROTATING BEACON WAS FOUND PUSHED UP THROUGH THE FUSELAGE SKIN PANEL. OTHER EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL WATER DAMAGE WAS ALSO NOTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.