Piper PA-38-112 N2539D
8 December 2009 · Fresno, California, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 8 December 2009 at about 20:48 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N2539D, operated by Chia-Ying Chan, was involved in an accident near Fresno, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. 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 20:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fresno, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Fresno Yosemite International (FAT)
- Coordinates
- 36.7761, -119.7181
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112
- Registration
- N2539D
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Chia-Ying Chan
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fresno → Monterey
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dawn
- NTSB number
- WPR10LA074
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that prior to takeoff he was held on the ground for about 10 minutes due to landing traffic. Upon receiving takeoff clearance he taxied onto the runway, advanced the throttle and observed normal engine rpm. During takeoff initial climb, he realized that the airplane was not climbing normally. As the airplane crossed over the airport perimeter road northwest of the departure runway, the engine started to run rough along with fluctuations in the engine rpm. The pilot initiated a left turn towards the departure runway. As the airplane approached the runway, it stalled and impacted the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing was partially separated and the empennage was separated aft of the cabin. Fuel samples recovered from the airplane were free of debris. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. While review of a Federal Aviation Administration Carburetor Icing Chart revealed "Serious icing - glide power" for the reported temperature and dew point conditions, the investigation could not definitively identify carburetor ice as the reason for the power loss.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-38 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Ojai, California, United States | Aviation Pacific Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 11 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Kamiah, Idaho, United States | Clearwater Valley Aero Club Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Glendale, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 May 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Grangeville, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Patillas, United States | Velazquez Ramon L | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2008 | Piper PA-38-112 | Taylor, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2009 | Cessna 172P | Livermore, California, United States | Wollard Aviation Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Fallbrook, California, United States | M.Y. Air Corp | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Mooney M20E | Rio Linda, California, United States | David Michaud | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Nov 2009 | Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 | Torrance, California, United States | Smith Richard Charles | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-24-260 | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Kris S Michel | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 2009 | Antares Us MA-34R | San Jose, California, United States | Peter C Marsh | Serious injuries | - |