N6595PPiper PA-24-250 · 1960

On December 5, 2013, about 1500 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24 airplane, N6595P, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport forced landing within the city limits of Fair Oaks, California. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The solo pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the pilot was participating in air traffic control (ATC) flight following. The airplane departed the Salinas Airport (KSNS), Salinas, California, about 1400, and was bound for the Auburn Municipal Airport (KAUN), Auburn, California.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on December 9, the pilot stated that he departed Salinas for his home airport in Auburn. He said that he has made the flight on numerous occasions. Typically he departs Salinas Airport, climbs to 6,500 feet above sea level (msl), and requests flight following services. When he gets close enough to see his destination, he requests a descent to 3,500 feet msl, and continues to the destination airport.

The pilot said the flight proceeded normally until he requested the descent to 3,500 feet msl. After being granted the descent, he throttled the engine back to 2,100 rpm, and applied full carburetor heat, and enriched the mixture. Upon reaching 3,500 feet, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He said he reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and received a heading to Sacramento Mather Airport (KMHR), the closest airport to his position. He said he made the nearly 180 degree turn toward the airport, and continued attempts to restart the engine.

Unable to restart the engine, and apparent that he was not going to reach the airport, the pilot attempted to land in soccer fields at Phoenix Park, Fair Oaks. He did not extend the retracted landing gear. During the landing, the airplane collided with a car, trees and terrain.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said he had not experienced any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

On December 6, the airplane was examined at the accident site by an FAA air safety inspector, and no mechanical anomalies were found.

An examination of the airplane's maintenance logbooks did not reveal any anomalies or unresolved discrepancies.

An examination of the recovered wreckage was conducted March 28, 2014 by an NTSB air safety investigator. The examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. A copy of the examination report is contained in the public docket for this accident.

Given the weather conditions at the time of the event, and consulting a Carburetor Icing Chart, it is unlikely carburetor ice was responsible for the engine's loss of power.