Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Corona, CA
On October 1, 2003, a Piper PA-32R-301T (airplane) was involved in an accident near Corona, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 1, 2003
- Place
- Corona, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.946°N, 117.578°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031015X01737
Official records · LAX04FA001
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Excerpt ATC Package: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 1, 2003, about 1541 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N481CA, declared an in-flight fire emergency, and crashed shortly after takeoff in an unincorporated area of Corona, California. The pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed in the post-impact fire. The cross-country flight departed the Corona Municipal Airport (AJO) about 1537, en route to Oakland, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was located at 33 degrees 56.46 minutes north latitude and 117 degrees 34.41 minutes west longitude. An airborne witness, who was practicing Instrument Landing System (ILS) approaches into the Chino Airport (CNO), Chino, California, overheard the radio transmission of the accident pilot declaring an emergency. He said someone contacted Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SoCal TRACON) and had stated that they had a fire. The airborne witness looked around for the aircraft and saw it off to his left side, and estimated its altitude was 3,000 feet. He saw the airplane flying level with trailing black smoke that did not have an area of concentration. The witness heard the accident pilot say that he had to get out of there, and then saw the airplane turn to the left. The witness watched the airplane make one spiraling turn and then impact the ground. He then saw a fireball. The witness orbited the area until a police helicopter
Probable cause
failure of the turbocharger exhaust clamp due to a pre-existing weld crack, which allowed the release of high temperature exhaust gasses in the engine compartment, causing an in-flight fire.
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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.
