Auburn Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Auburn, California 95602
Friday, December 3, 1999 17:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

One month prior to the accident the pilot had noted a leak in the right brake line. Upon inspection he found a small hole in the line. The line was replaced and the airplane was taxi, takeoff, and landing tested for brake airworthiness. No further discrepancies were noted. The pilot noted no difficulties with approach, initial touchdown, or the initial landing roll. Approximately midfield, after the airplane had slowed down, he applied brakes. The right brake did not activate properly, and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, encountered a muddy field and nosed over. Witnesses to the accident stated that it was windy at traffic pattern altitude; however, surface winds were about 5 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The owner/builder's failure to properly bleed the brake system following replacement of the right brake line, which caused the right brake to not function and led to the pilot's inability to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City AUBURN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95602
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AUBURN MUNI AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AUN
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 1531
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID BAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 113
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1414
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 3 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3QV
NTSB Number LAX00LA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Oehling
Aircraft Model QUESTAIR VENTURE
Aircraft Series Identifier QUESTAIR V
Aircraft Serial Number 28
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 450
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID C. OEHLING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 240 NE SCENIC DR.
Aircraft Owner City GRANTS PASS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97526
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 MMV
Departure City MCMINNVILLE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AUN
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 25
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --