Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacific Ocean
Wednesday, August 18, 1993 21:52 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A FERRY FLIGHT ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM HONOLULU, HI, TO OAKLAND, CA. THE RIGHT ENGINE SUSTAINED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE. ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS, LATER, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE OIL AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OIL PRESSURE AND POWER BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CRUISING ALTITUDE AND ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN NEXT TO A RESCUE VESSEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE TO BOTH ENGINES FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2152
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACIFIC OCEAN
Event State PACIFIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 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 Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1103
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1232H
NTSB Number LAX93LA329
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-34-220
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-220
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7770116
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 23 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 2400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERNHART ACFT & EQUIP LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23413 39TH AVE S.E.
Aircraft Owner City BOTHELL
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT CONTRACT SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10847 AERO LANE
Operator City YELM
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98597
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HNL
Departure City HONOLULU
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 808
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OAK
Destination City OAKLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --