Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93308
Friday, September 15, 1995 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE RED LINE. THE ENGINE QUIT ALTOGETHER SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS SET UP FOR A LANDING IN A BARE FIELD WHEN HE NOTICED WORKERS IN THE TOUCHDOWN AREA AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE VINEYARD. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE IDENTIFIED DURING THE INITIAL ON-SITE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS, LINES AND CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT ROTATED IN A NORMAL MANNER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO AN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE FACILITY. NO PARTICLES OR DEBRIS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL STRAINER OR SUMP. THE LEFT MAGNETO TIMING WAS 25 DEGREES AND THE RIGHT WAS 28 DEGREES. UTILIZING THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN FOR 15 MINUTES AT IDLE, MID-RANGE, AND FULL POWER SETTINGS. ENGINE OPERATION WAS NORMAL, WITH NORMAL RANGE OIL PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BAKERSFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93308
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
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 1050 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 507
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 29
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) 1529
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 25 2010 9:10AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7498L
NTSB Number LAX95LA335
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7609017
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 120
Airframe Hours 2376
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RALPH C. CONATSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1342 AIRPORT HEIGHTS
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
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 No
Departure Airport Code 045
Departure City VACAVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 822
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAG
Destination City BARSTOW
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 25 2010 9:11AM
User who most recently changed record johb
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 --