Piper PA 28R-180 accident near Lake Elsinore, CA
On July 6, 2014, a Piper PA 28R-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lake Elsinore, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 6, 2014
- Place
- Lake Elsinore, CA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28R-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.650°N, 117.397°W
- NTSB ID
- 20140706X50329
Official records · WPR14FA282
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 6, 2014, about 0920 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N3723T, collided with mountainous terrain near Lake Elsinore, California. The private pilot and two passengers died and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta, California at about 0815. A witness reported that he was standing in the parking lot for a popular cliff side restaurant with about 25 other people. He heard and observed an extremely low flying airplane buzz overhead. The airplane made about a 45 degree banking turn towards the ridgeline when he heard a hydraulic noise ("gggeee"); he observed the landing gear doors open and the landing gear extend. He reported that the gear took about three seconds to lower; it wasn't a sudden drop. The witness also stated that it didn't sound as if the airplane was operating at full power, but at about half power. As the airplane leveled off in a southwesterly direction, it barely cleared the powerlines along the road and proceeded towards the ridge before going out of sight. About five seconds later they observed a plume of smoke. The witness mentioned that it appeared as if the pilot was "showing off." One witness videoed the flyby while standing in the restaurant parking lot. The airplane was seen coming from the southeast with a steady engine RPM, and the land
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control when the landing gear unintentionally extended while maneuvering at low altitude and airspeed, which increased the airplane’s drag and decreased its ability to climb over the rising 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.
