EPHRATA, WA, USA
N7591J
PIPER PA-28R-180
IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF A POWER LOSS OCCURRED AND THE PILOT SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE COCKPIT/CABIN AREA AS WELL AS THE ACCESSORY SECTION OF THE ENGINE. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS WAS UNDETERMINED. THE OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED UNDER DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS ONTO UNEVEN, SAGE COVERED, ROCKY TERRAIN WHICH SURROUNDS THE AIRPORT.
On June 21, 1993, at approximately 2216 hours Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Piper PA-28R-180, N7591J, registered to and operated by Magee Aircraft, Inc., and being flown by Latisha L. Bartley, a certificated private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with terrain and subsequent post crash fire. The pilot was executing a forced landing following a loss of power during the initial climb immediately following takeoff from runway 20 at the Ephrata Municipal Airport, Ephrata, Washington. The pilot and one the three passengers sustained minor injuries while the two remaining passengers sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological dark night conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been conducted in accordance with the requirements set forth in 14CFR91, and was destined for Wenatchee, Washington. Post crash examination of the aircraft's fuel selector valve revealed the valve to be in the closed (OFF) position. The valve, which was frozen, was found to operate normally once freed with the application of a lubricant. Pilot Bartley, who had been preparing for her commercial pilot check ride the following day, remembered the loss of power but had no recollection of events shortly thereafter. Passenger Jason Stucky, seated in the rear left seat and the only passenger to remain conscious subsequent to the ground impact, was telephonically interviewed. He reported that the engine quit abruptly and the pilot stated "We're in trouble." He also stated that pilot Bartley remained seated and relatively upright in her seat throughout the forced landing. He could not recall whether pilot Bartley had passenger Rick Stucky, occupying the front left seat, actuate any controls (fuel selector, mags etc.). Passenger Rick Stucky was telephonically interviewed but was unable to remember any details of the accident following the power loss. An airframe logbook entry dated 03/12/93 showed a 100 hour/annual inspection being completed. Additionally, the last sentence of the entry read "Fabricate and install new Aeroquip hose between main fuel strainer and electric fuel pump" (refer to ATTACHMENT L-1). The total airframe time reported on this date was 6114.2 hours and pilot Bartley reported the airframe total time at the accident as 6170 hours. The Aeroquip hose previously described was recovered from the accident site and was observed to have been subjected to the post crash fire. The hose was shipped to the Materials Laboratory Division of the Safety Board for further examination. The hose was found to be blocked with debris, however, it could not be determined whether the debris was a result of the disintegration of the hose's inner elastomer lining due to the post crash fire or from particulates pre existing the power loss and fire (refer to Metallurgist's Factual Report). On site examination of the crash site by FAA Inspector Thomas Normoyle revealed separated nose landing gear doors early on in the wreckage distribution track. All three landing gear were observed to have collapsed and the terrain was observed to be slightly uneven with sage vegetation and rocks on its surface (refer to photographs one through three).
UNDETERMINED LOSS OF POWER AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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