Piper PA-28-180 N8129W

Summary

On 12 March 1994 at about 02:49 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N8129W, operated by David R. Thompson, was involved in an accident near Los Angeles, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 March 1994 at 02:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Monica Municipal (SMO)

Coordinates

34.0294, -118.4308

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N8129W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David R. Thompson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Monica → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX94FA159

1 person died.

the failure of the upper engine compartment cowl to remain attached to the lower cowl during initial climb as a result of inadequate maintenance and replacement practices by the aircraft owner.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT 300 FEET AGL, THE UPPER COWL RAISED UP BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES. THE PILOT REPORTED HE STAYED IN THE PATTERN. ON BASE LEG, THE UPPER COWL DISLODGED FURTHER FROM THE ACFT AND PRODUCED DRAG. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND HOMES 1/2 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT, WHO OWNED THE ACFT AND WHO WORKED AS AN A & P MECHANIC, HAD REMOVED AND PARTIALLY REPLACED THE ENGINE COWL. A FRIEND OF THE PILOT, WHO ALSO HELD AN A & P CERTIFICATE AND WAS A PILOT, ASSISTED BY PLACING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UPPER COWL BACK ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SURVIVING PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT OBSERVED THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER PHYSICALLY SECURE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UPPER COWL TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAM, ALL OF THE FIRE-DAMAGED COWL STRUCTURE WAS FOUND AT THE CRASH SITE EXCEPT FOR THE TWO FORWARD-POINTED UPPER COWL ENGAGEMENT PINS AND THEIR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE. ALSO NOT FOUND WAS THE NYLON GROMMET/BUSHING WHICH NORMALLY WAS SEATED IN THE LOWER COWL'S LEFT SIDE FORWARD PLATE ASSEMBLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.