Piper PA-28-181 N2393W

Summary

On 21 September 1996 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N2393W, operated by Burbank Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Caliente, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 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

21 September 1996 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Caliente, California, United States

Nearest airport

Shadow Mountain (A2CL)

Coordinates

35.3995, -118.5105

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N2393W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Burbank Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burbank → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA340

3 people died.

improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight instructor (CFI) by allowing the airplane to flying into a box canyon area, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with wooded terrain. The CFI's selection of the wrong runway and the resultant tailwind were related factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noncertificated dual student made a business trip with friends to a destination with a dirt airstrip. He retained a flight instructor (CFI) to provide instruction in the airplane along the route. During arrival, the CFI took control of the airplane and maneuvered to land on the east/west runway. The wind was reportedly from 290 degrees at 5 gusting 10 knots. A ground witness observed the airplane make a downwind low approach. A passenger said that the instructor circled the area to alert the student pilot's friends. The airplane was then observed to reenter the traffic pattern and land downwind. The airplane's speed was excessive and a go-around was initiated. The airplane disappeared from the ground witness' view. After the aborted landing, the airplane entered a box canyon area. Reportedly, the instructor initiated a turn between 90 and 110 degrees, and the stall warning buzzer sounded. The airplane then struck trees and crashed in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane disclosed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.