Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Avalon, California 90704
Monday, September 6, 1993 14:24 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft was in cruise flight about 10 miles from the island when a puff of smoke emanated from the engine cowling and the engine began to run rough. The pilot stated the aircraft could not maintain altitude and he ditched in the ocean about 100 yards off shore. The engine was disassembled and the numbers one and two connecting rods were found fractured, with heat discoloration observed on the number two bearing. Heavy fretting was found on the number two bearing surface and the associated crankcase bearing journal support. The numbers three and four cam shaft journals were observed to be visibly out of round, with heavy wear noted. Examination of the engine log book and the maintenance records from the operator revealed that the cylinder base seal for the number two cylinder was replaced on May 25, 1993, about 55 hours prior to the accident. According to the records the number two cylinder base seal 'O' ring was replaced by the aircraft owner and the work signed off by an FAA Repair Station inspector.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the oil starvation related failure of the number 1 and 2 connecting rods due to improper torque of the crankcase through bolts at the number 2 cylinder, which allowed fretting of the bearing surfaces and the resulting closure of the oil ports. The under torque condition was due to improper installation procedures used by the aircraft owner, and, the inadequate inspection procedures utilized by the certifying repair station.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/6/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1424 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | AVALON |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90704 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| 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 | 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) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1123 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 6 1993 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 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 | N4143L |
| NTSB Number | LAX93LA345 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172G |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17254212 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 24 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 55 |
| Airframe Hours | 3375 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRENT SUNDIN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1065 ORANGEWOOD DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | ESCONDIDO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92025 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | RICK LUCIA AVIATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2428 MONTECITO RD |
| Operator City | RAMONA |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 92065 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | L39 |
| Departure City | RAMONA |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| 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 | 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 | -- |