Piper PA-28-180 N15285

Summary

On 25 August 2003 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N15285 was involved in an accident near Pauma Valley, California, United States. 2 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.

Date

25 August 2003 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pauma Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

33.2872, -116.9564

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N15285

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlsbad → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03CA263

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall. The rising terrain was a factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with terrain during a low altitude maneuver. The purpose of the flight was for the passenger to take photographs. The elevation in the area was 1,400 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot descended to 2,000 feet msl, slowed to 90 miles per hour (mph), and extended the flaps 10 degrees. During a turn with about 15 degrees angle of bank, the airplane lost 200 feet of altitude. He immediately rolled out of the turn, added full power, and encountered rising terrain. He began looking for a place to descend in order to "pick up some airspeed." A flat spot in a canyon was observed and he proceeded toward that area at 60 mph. After the pilot maneuvered around a house and power lines, the airplane impacted an oak tree, and came to rest inverted. The pilot's conclusion of the accident was that he was operating the airplane too low and allowed himself to become trapped in a canyon with rising terrain. No mechanical malfunctions were noted with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.