Brackett Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Verne, California 91750
Sunday, December 26, 1993 9:03 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses stated that the airplane was about 200- to 300-feet high in the takeoff initial climb when they heard a loss of engine power. They stated that the airplane abruptly rolled to the right into what appeared to be the start of a spin, then impacted into an aircraft tie down area on the airport about 500 feet from the runway centerline. Postcrash examination of the fuel selector revealed two loose fuel line 'B' nuts at the selector and a loose fuel line fitting in the selector body with less than three threads of engagement. The engine fuel primer was found unlocked and out about 1/4 inch.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power due to the improper maintenance and installation of the fuel system lines and fittings, and the pilot's failure to ensure the engine fuel primer was locked prior to takeoff. An additional cause was the pilot's failure to maintain minimum airspeed to avoid a stall while maneuvering after the engine power loss and the inadvertent entry into a stall/spin.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 903
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LA VERNE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91750
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRACKETT FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID POC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1011
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 905 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1988
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 910
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N312RG
NTSB Number LAX94FA081
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GOLIGHTLY
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Aug 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 40
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT B. GOLIGHTLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1166 N. FAIRVALLEY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City COVINA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91722
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT B. GOLIGHTLY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1166 N. FAIRVALLEY AVE
Operator City COVINA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91722
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 902
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CNO
Destination City CHINO
Destination State CA
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 26R
Runway Length 3661
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --