Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacoima, California 91331
Saturday, June 17, 1995 17:07 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN A STATEMENT TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A DRY WASH AREA AND COLLIDED WITH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE WASH. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE EITHER FUEL LINE BLOCKAGE OR FUEL CONTAMINATION. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO RECORD OF AVIATION FUEL PURCHASE FOR THE AIRCRAFT'S REGISTRATION NUMBER FROM ANY AIRPORT IN THE VICINITY OF ITS BASE OR FROM THE DEPARTURE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel contamination.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1707
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACOIMA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91331
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1727 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 138
Weather Observation Facility ID WHP
Elevation of weather observation facility 1002
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1097
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8510
NTSB Number LAX95LA212
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 TUPTA-SMITH MINIPLANE
Aircraft Model DSA-1
Aircraft Series Identifier DSA-1
Aircraft Serial Number T232748
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Jun 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD NORRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6 ALBION PLACE
Aircraft Owner City NEWTON CTR
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02159
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRANK A. SENTEIO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6112 ROGERTON DRIVE
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90068
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 No
Departure Airport Code CMA
Departure City CAMARILLO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code WHP
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --