Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Camp Pendelton, California 92055
Wednesday, March 12, 1997 16:25 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot experienced a partial engine failure about 20 minutes after takeoff and made an off airport emergency landing. After touchdown, the aircraft encountered a ditch and nosed over onto its back. An inspection of the aircraft revealed throttle movement in the cockpit did not produce corresponding movement of the butterfly valve in the carburetor throat. The carburetor is designed, however, to automatically go to 80 percent power in the event of a mechanical throttle linkage separation. This was the first flight after an annual safety condition inspection. A review of the aircraft logbooks did not reveal any discrepancies. A final attempt by the operator to diagnose the cause of the engine failure was unsuccessful.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power due to an undetermined cause or causes.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1625
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CAMP PENDELTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92055
Event Date Year 1997
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1647 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 137
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 299
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 12 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1758
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48RW
NTSB Number LAX97LA122
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 Columbia
Aircraft Model XJ-7
Aircraft Series Identifier XJ-7
Aircraft Serial Number 31399
Certified Max Gross Weight 14200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 156
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. W. MARTIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2186-A PALOMAR ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92008
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1605
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 Maneuvering
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 --