Piper PA-32-301T accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA
On August 26, 2012, a Piper PA-32-301T (airplane) was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 26, 2012
- Place
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.894°N, 119.995°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120827X12111
Official records · WPR12FA369
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 25, 2012, about 2145 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301T Saratoga, N588ET, impacted trees shortly after departing from Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, California. The right-seated pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The five occupants, which included the right and left-seated private pilots, were fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. The personal cross-country flight was originating from Lake Tahoe Airport, with a planned destination of Fresno, California. Nighttime visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The occupants had departed Fresno earlier that day and landed at Lake Tahoe Airport. After touchdown, a pilot was in communication with two fixed base operator (FBO) attendants and received directions of where to taxi the airplane. While taxiing to the ramp, the airplane's engine shutdown and it took numerous attempts for the pilots to restart it. Upon parking, the pilots reported to the attendants that the airplane's fuel/air mixture was difficult to establish at such a high density altitude and that if one operates the engine too lean its temperature will exceed normal operation parameters. The pilots indicated that this was their first time of going to the Tahoe airport and he was under the impression that for the accident flight the left-seated pilot was the flying-pilot. Following dinner, the occupants returned to the airport with the intention of flying back to Fresno, where the airplane was based. One of pilots made
Probable cause
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examinations revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and the pilots’ decision to continue the departure in dark night conditions with the engine not producing full power.
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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.
