Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palos Verdes, California 90732
Sunday, January 21, 1990 15:48 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES FROM LAX TRACON. HE REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PLT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE RESCUED BY A FISHING BOAT BEFORE THE AIRPLANE SANK. NEITHER THE AIRPLANE NOR THE ENGINE WAS RECOVERED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE POWER LOSS APPEARED TO BE FUEL RELATED. THE AIRPLANE HAD 31 GALLONS OF FUEL WHEN IT DEPARTED AND WAS ABOUT 12 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED DUE TO A PROP STRIKE. IT HAD BEEN REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AN OVERHAULED ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS ALSO INSTALLED AT THE TIME THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE ACCRUED ABOUT 31 FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1548
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PALOS VERDES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90732
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
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 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 22000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 459
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1557
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41393
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7654B
NTSB Number LAX90LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 14-19-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 14-19-2
Aircraft Serial Number 4005
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 2820
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRONN, GERALD B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 318 E WHITLEY
Aircraft Owner City AVALON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BROWN, JERRY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1038
Operator City AVALON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90704
Operator Code
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AVX
Departure City CATALINA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1539
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SMO
Destination City SANTA MONICA
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --