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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

September 6, 1989 · Grumman AA-5B · N28493

California City, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 6, 1989
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
California City, CA
Aircraft
Grumman AA-5B
Tail Number
N28493
Operator
Sussex Aviation
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX89FA296

The student pilot on her second solo cross country experienced a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb. She made three attempts to land on the takeoff runway, each time flying a left traffic pattern that was lower than the preceding pattern. Ground witnesses saw the aircraft fly patterns that were 'low, close and with tight base to final turns.' On each base to final turn, the aircraft overshot the turn due to a strong left cross wind. During the third base to final turn, the witnesses saw the aircraft enter a very steep bank, stall, and hit the ground on the left wing tip. A post crash fire destroyed the aircraft. No evidence of a catastrophic engine failure was found. Four of the spark plugs failed a pressure chamber test, with three of them showing gaps in excess of .022' (normal gap is .016) and were very worn. Review of the maintenance records showed that the maintenance facility only replaced spark plugs on a one for one basis instead of in complete sets.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PARTIAL ENGINE POWER LOSS, WHICH WAS DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES, THE STUDENT PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE, THE STRONG CROSS WIND, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Full Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT ON HER SECOND SOLO CROSS COUNRTY EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. SHE MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO LAND ON THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY, EACH TIME FLYING A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN THAT WAS LOWER THAN THE PRECEDING PATTERN. GROUND WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLY PATTERNS THAT WERE 'LOW, CLOSE AND WITH TIGHT BASE TO FINAL TURNS.' ON EACH BASE TO FINAL TURN, THE AIRCRAFT OVERSHOT THE TURN DUE TO A STRONG LEFT CROSS WIND. DURING THE THIRD BASE TO FINAL TURN, THE WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A VERY STEEP BANK, STALL, AND HIT THE GROUND ON THE LEFT WING TIP. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. NO EVIDENCE OF A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WAS FOUND. FOUR OF THE SPARK PLUGS FAILED A PRESSURE CHAMBER TEST, WITH THREE OF THEM SHOWING GAPS IN EXCESS OF .022' (NORMAL GAP IS .016) AND WERE VERY WORN. REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY ONLY REPLACED SPARK PLUGS ON A ONE FOR ONE BASIS INSTEAD OF IN COMPLETE SETS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:09 PDT
Nearest AirportCalif City Muni (0nm N)
Runway24
Runway Length6035 ft
Runway Width55 ft
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftGrumman AA-5B
Tail NumberN28493
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSussex Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4K · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 51 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind250° @ 18 kt
Visibility75 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point30 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time16:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data