Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Riverside, California 92517
Thursday, August 1, 1991 19:57 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT NOTICED AN AIRPLANE LANDING ON THE RUNWAY AND ANOTHER OCCUPYING THE TAXIWAY ON WHICH HE HAD PLANNED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT EXTENDED HIS APPROACH AND LANDED IN A FIELD EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE WAS FOUND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL REVEALED THAT FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS CONTAMINATED WITH AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF A LUBRICATING OIL-LIKE SUBSTANCE. NO ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS INVOLVING FUEL OBTAINED FROM THE FUEL VENDOR WERE REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CONTAMINATION OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WITH AN UNKNOWN OIL-LIKE SUBSTANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1957
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIVERSIDE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92517
Event Date Year 1991
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1515
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45342
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5819Q
NTSB Number LAX91LA341
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 775
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 3484
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TODD DREYER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7150 MT. VERNON ST.
Aircraft Owner City RIVERSIDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92504
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TODD DREYER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7150 MT. VERNON ST.
Operator City RIVERSIDE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92504
Operator Code 06
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 1955
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
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 --