Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Ynez, California 93460
Saturday, September 21, 1996 14:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a dual instructional flight, the pilots observed smoke coming from an area behind the instrument panel. The flight instructor (CFI) took control of the aircraft, while they performed the emergency procedure for in-flight fire. The smoke cleared and the instructor gave control back to the owner/pilot. As they were approaching the airport with gear and flaps extended, they attempted to add power to reach the airport. The engine failed to respond, and a forced landing was performed short of the airport. During the forced landing on unprepared terrain, the aircraft was damaged. The aircraft had flown 2.5 hours since the last annual inspection. Postaccident examination revealed three loose injector lines for the left side cylinders. Fuel dye and fire damage was evident on the left side, where the ignition wires were burnt and the cowling was distorted. All fuel injectors had been removed for cleaning and reinstallation with new seals. After the annual inspection, the aircraft had been taken to another shop to repair an engine baffle on the left side. The aircraft had been flown 1.8 hours since repair of the engine baffle.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of a maintenance technician to properly torque the fuel injector lines to three cylinders.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA YNEZ
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93460
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID IZA
Elevation of weather observation facility 671
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) 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 Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1235
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
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 N7956M
NTSB Number LAX96LA341
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model V35A-TC
Aircraft Series Identifier V35A-TC
Aircraft Serial Number D-8823
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3262
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID M. MCELROY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 340 CALLE ELEGANTE
Aircraft Owner City SANTA BARBARA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93108
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code IZA
Departure City
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SBA
Destination City SANTA BARBARA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --