Piper PA-31 N16SC
1 February 1993 · Columbia, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 1 February 1993 at about 06:30 local time, a Piper PA-31 registered N16SC, operated by Richard L. Stockton, was involved in an accident near Columbia, California, United States. 3 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.
The record
- Date
- at 06:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Columbia, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Columbia (O22)
- Coordinates
- 38.1099, -120.3800
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31
- Registration
- N16SC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Richard L. Stockton
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Bullhead City → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- LAX93LA109
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS WHICH MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE PILOT'S PERCEPTUAL AWARENESS OF THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CUES FOR A PROPER VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE GUIDANCE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE TURNED ON A ONE TO ONE AND ONE HALF MILE BASE FOR RUNWAY 35 AND KEYED HIS MICROPHONE TO ACTIVATE THE PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID THAT ON FINAL APPROACH HE NOTICED THAT THE VASI LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING. HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE ON FINAL APPROACH UNTIL ABOUT 200 FEET AGL WHEN HE SAID HE BECAME AWARE OF A LOSS IN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN APPLYING POWER TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND THEN OBSERVED A TREE TOP PASS THE COPILOTS WINDOW. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD COLLIDED WITH THE TREE. AN FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE TREE CONTACTED BY THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 30 FEET TALL AND LOCATED ABOUT 600 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1993 | Piper PA-31-350 | King Salmon, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Mar 1993 | Piper PA-31 | Mekoryuk, Alaska, United States | Missionary Aviation Repair CTR | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1993 | Piper PA-31-350 | Gambell, Alaska, United States | Bering Air, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Aug 1993 | Piper PA-31-350 | Nome, Alaska, United States | Marc Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 1993 | Piper PA-31-310 | Port Huron, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 1993 | Piper PA-31 | Atlantic Ocean | Schaked Corp. | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 1993 | Cessna 310H | Lancaster, California, United States | Yehiem Konski | Fatal | 6 |
| 14 Nov 1993 | Cessna 182 | Colusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1993 | Cessna 172P | Sun City, California, United States | Hiser Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Jul 1993 | Robinson R44 | El Monte, California, United States | Benjamin F. Venti, SR. | Fatal | 3 |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-38-112 | Fresno, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1993 | Beechcraft A35 | Tulare, California, United States | Rent and Lease Programs | Fatal | 2 |