Kingdon Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lodi, California 95240
Saturday, July 10, 1993 18:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the takeoff initial climb the engine RPM's dropped from 3,150 to about 2,600. The power level produced by the engine was insufficient to maintain altitude and the pilot landed in a corn field about one-half mile from the airport. The aircraft sustained damage during the on ground collision with corn plants and soft, plowed dirt. The Volkswagen 1800cc engine and related subsystems were taken to an FAA certified repair station for a detailed examination. The repair station noted that the engine had been modified with the installation of a single Slick model 4216 magneto for the ignition system. The magneto was removed from the engine and disassembled. A crack was observed in the coil at a location close to the magneto case. Black ash deposits were noted on both the coil and the magneto housing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the grounding of the magneto coil to the magneto case due to a crack in the coil sheath.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LODI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95240
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 KINGDON AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O20
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 15
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) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) --
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) 947
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31349
NTSB Number LAX93LA286
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 STEPHENS
Aircraft Model VP2
Aircraft Series Identifier VP2
Aircraft Serial Number V23268
Certified Max Gross Weight 0
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 May 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN A. DUNHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 12671
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89510
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS D. DUNHAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 8363
Operator City SO LAKE TAHOE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96158
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code O20
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1829
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O20
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 30
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --