Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woodland, California 95695
Wednesday, February 26, 1992 11:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE IN THE CRUISE PORTION OF A CROSS COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE RPM AND OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASSY FIELD THAT HAD A DITCH ACROSS THE LANDING AREA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER OVER THE DITCH, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE DITCH, TEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND DAMAGING BOTH WINGS. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE TO THE OIL COOLER OIL LINE RUPTURED. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE OIL LINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE FOR THE LAST 1,600 HOURS AND A 100-HOUR INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 50 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. REPLACEMENT OF THE LINE IS REQUIRED NO LATER THAN 1,000 HOURS OF SERVICE AND THE COMPANY MECHANIC DID NOT REPLACE THE OIL LINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL'S INADEQUATE 100-HOUR INSPECTION AND FAILURE TO REPLACE THE OIL LINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RUPTURE OF THE OIL LINE AND THE DITCH THAT TRAVERSED THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City WOODLAND
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95695
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 0
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
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 Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 278
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46383
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N595SP
NTSB Number LAX92LA129
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-24449
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK WHITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7641 LARK SPUR LANE
Aircraft Owner City ORANGVALE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95682
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MR. AIRCRAFT, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3260 CAMERON PARK DRIVE
Operator City CAMERON PARK
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95682
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 O61
Departure City CAMERON PARK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UKI
Destination City UKIAH
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 --