Piper PA-31P N55UF
14 December 1992 · Oceanside, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 December 1992 at about 22:45 local time, a Piper PA-31P registered N55UF, operated by Timothy W. Eksted, was involved in an accident near Oceanside, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Oceanside, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.2002, -117.3498
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31P
- Registration
- N55UF
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Timothy W. Eksted
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- San Diego → Santa Ana
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX93FA066
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH THE OCEAN DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON (S).
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER, HIS SON, DEPARTED FROM A CONTROLLED AIRPORT AT 1436 HOURS. HE CLIMBED THE AIRPLANE TO ABOUT 5,200 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. RECORDED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PILOT AND THE CONTROL TOWER DID NOT REVEAL ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE PILOT IN A PROGRESSIVE CLIMB TO ABOUT 5,200 FEET. AFTER MAINTAINING THAT ALTITUDE FOR OVER TWO MINUTES, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE OCEAN ABOUT ONE MILE OFFSHORE. THE ENGINES AND PROPELLERS WERE RECOVERED AND EXAMINED. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE EXISTING DISCREPANCIES. THE PROPELLERS HAD DEEP LEADING EDGE GOUGES, 'S' TWISTS, AND ONE BROKEN BLADE. NO PRE EXISTING DEFICIENCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOKS AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS. INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY REASON FOR THE AIRPLANE'S RAPID DESCENT AND ITS IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE OCEAN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31P accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 1992 | Piper PA-31P | Mosinee, Wisconsin, United States | Becher Hoppe Engineers, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jan 1992 | Piper PA-31P | Tonopah, Nevada, United States | Rock Springs Ranch, Ltd | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-31P | Atlantic Ocean | Hepburn, Inez | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1993 | Piper PA-31P | Coffeyville, Kansas, United States | Dutch, Dennis D. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 1993 | Piper PA-31P | San Antonio, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Jun 1995 | Piper PA-31P-350 | Cedar Bluff, Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28R-201T | Ludlow, California, United States | Higgins, Melvin W & Jean | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 1992 | Beechcraft C-23 | Fullerton, California, United States | Eldon R. Howe | No injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1992 | Cessna 150 | San Jose, California, United States | Veda Corporation | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1992 | Cessna 182N | San Ardo, California, United States | Soil Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1992 | Grumman G-164B | Dixon, California, United States | Sunrise Duster, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 1992 | Bellanca 7ECA | Apple Valley, California, United States | Chester Waite | Serious injuries | - |