Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Tuesady, December 10, 1991 18:08 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS BEGINNING A POSITIONING FLIGHT AS THE FIRST LEG OF AN AIR TAXI FLIGHT. ABOUT 4 SECONDS AFTER DEPARTURE AND AT ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A MARSH AREA, ABOUT 3/4 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER RECOVERY, THE ENGINE WAS PLACED ON A TEST STAND AND WAS STARTED. THE ENGINE RAN AT IDLE AND 2100 RPM. LOW FUEL FLOW WAS NOTICED FROM THE FUEL STRAINER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE FUEL SELECTOR REVEALED SMALL PORTIONS OF RUBBER, PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE LEFT FUEL TANK POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO A PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WITH DEBRIS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1808
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1930 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID PAO
Elevation of weather observation facility 5
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1992
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46446
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N761VB
NTSB Number LAX92LA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210M
Aircraft Series Identifier 210M
Aircraft Serial Number 62543
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2663
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAUL CHAIKEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10480 ANN ARBOR AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CUPERTINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95014
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CENTURION FLIGHT SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 51396
Operator City PALO ALTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94303
Operator Code CCJA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1808
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCR
Destination City CONCORD
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 10:35AM
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 --