Piper PA-22-135 accident near Brownsville, CA
On June 14, 2002, a Piper PA-22-135 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Brownsville, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 14, 2002
- Place
- Brownsville, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.459°N, 121.297°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020621X00953
Official records · LAX02LA197
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On June 14, 2002, at 1002 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135, N3329B, impacted terrain shortly after departing the Brownsville Airport, Brownsville, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed in a post impact fire. The local flight was originating from Brownsville. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. In a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board, a witness, who was also the boyfriend of the pilot's daughter, reported that the pilot had landed about 0950. Shortly thereafter, he witnessed the pilot taxi the airplane for a departure on runway 60. The airplane departed and, about 800 feet above ground level, the witness heard the engine sputter. The airplane made a turn to the left, in a southerly direction, which he thought was consistent to the pilot attempting to return back to the runway. The engine stopped completely, and the airplane's bank attitude increased. As the airplane continued in a turn, the airspeed became slow and the left wing appeared to lose lift. The airplane dove into the ground, with the nose impacting the terrain vertically. Upon impact, a post impact fire consumed the airplane. In a telephone conversation with the Safety Board, a neighbor of the pilot recalled talking to the pilot about 15 minutes prior to the accident flight. She stated that the pilot expressed to her that he was having trouble with the airplane, and that he could not see
Probable cause
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during a turn to reverse course back to the runway, resulting in a stall and collision with terrain.
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Browse: California · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
