Piper PA-28-161 N26075

Summary

On 16 May 1993 at about 09:35 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N26075, operated by Laron Enterprises, Inc., was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 1993 at 09:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Grass Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Nevada County (017)

Coordinates

39.1799, -120.9805

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N26075

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Laron Enterprises, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tracy → Georgetown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX93FA215

2 people died.

THE PILOT PREMATURELY RAISING THE AIRPLANE'S FLAPS AT AN AIRSPEED INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL MUSH CONDITION. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE FLYING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO GO ON A CAMPING TRIP. HE SAID THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND APPROACHED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS HIS DESTINATION. HE SAID IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND THAT HE NOTED THE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WAS NOT 'CORRECT'. HE ACTIVATED THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAY LIGHT AND STARTED AN APPROACH TO LAND. DURING THE APPROACH, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS NOT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. HE SAID HE DECIDED TO LAND AND DETERMINE HIS LOCATION. HE SAID THAT ON SHORT FINAL HE NOTED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH TO LAND AND HE DECIDED TO MAKE A GO AROUND. THE PILOT SAID HE INCREASED TO FULL POWER AND COULD NOT GET A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE GOT 'ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS OUT'. HE SAID HE TURNED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE FLAP HANDLE INDICATED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY RETRACTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE EXISTING DEFICIENCIES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.