Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Cajon, California 92021
Friday, March 31, 1995 10:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT AND THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A ROUGH/UNEVEN FIELD FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AND FAA INSPECTORS DID NOT FIND ANY FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS OR ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT GLASS GASCOLATOR BOWL. THE FUEL SYSTEM GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS NOT FOUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR ON THE GROUND ANYWHERE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE GLASS GASCOLATOR BOWL WITH A METAL BOWL IN A SERVICE LETTER ISSUED IN 1946. THE ACTION WAS TAKEN DUE TO INCIDENCE OF THE GLASS BOWLS BREAKING IN FLIGHT. THE GLASS BOWL REPLACEMENT WAS NOT A SUBJECT OF ANY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MAKE OR MODEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power due to an in-flight separation of the fuel system gascolator glass bowl resulting in a premature fuel exhaustion. The rough/uneven terrain is a factor in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City EL CAJON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92021
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1937E
NTSB Number LAX95LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-5504
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 21 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4399
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES D WALLER & RAY WELCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6350 PARK RIDGE BLVD
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92120
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SEE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --