Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Malibu, California 90405
Friday, July 2, 1993 13:22 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A LOSS OF POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT EXECUTED THE REQUIRED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 2 MILES OFF SHORE. THE AIRPLANE SANK TO A 20 FT DEPTH AFTER THE PILOT WAS RESCUED. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETRIEVED WITH BOTH WINGS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE FUEL SYSTEMS INTACT. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT WING CONTAINED A MIXTURE OF ABOUT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AND OCEAN WATER. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HANDLE WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE, HOWEVER, WAS POSITIONED TOWARD THE LEFT TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SHAFT REVEALED IT TO BE ROUNDED. AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED 16 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the inadequate annual inspection by other maintenance personnel and the worn fuel selector valve shaft. Contributing to this accident was the loss of power due to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1322
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MALIBU
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1426
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1340
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8058P
NTSB Number LAX93LA271
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-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3304
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 May 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 2824
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIEM, LELAND R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3643 SEAHORN DR.
Aircraft Owner City MALIBU
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90265
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SMO
Departure City SANTA MONICA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:28PM
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 --