Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fresno, California 93727
Tuesady, September 17, 1996 17:18 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after departure and after climbing through 4,000 feet, the engine failed. The pilot executed an forced landing in a soft open field. During the landing rollout, the nose gear dug into the dirt and the aircraft nosed over. Examination of the engine disclosed that the bearing had shifted on the journal blocking the oil lubrication passage which resulted in a separation of the connecting rod and subsequent engine failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A separation of a connecting rod due to a lack of internal lubrication from a blocked oil passage after a bearing had shifted on its journal.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1718
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FRESNO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93727
Event Date Year 1996
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 1656 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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) 1839
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1824
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94381
NTSB Number LAX96LA338
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285659
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9465 EARHART RD, NORTH FIELD
Aircraft Owner City OAKLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIERRA ACADEMY OF AERONAUTICS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9465 EARHART ROAD
Operator City OAKLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94614
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FAT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1703
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OAK
Destination City OAKLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --