Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Livermore, California 94550
Friday, March 23, 1990 18:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH PILOTS INDICATED THAT WHILE ENROUTE THEY PERFORMED A SERIES OF CHANDELLES AND LAZY EIGHTS. AFTER THE MANEUVERS WERE COMPLETED AND THE FLIGHT WAS AGAIN ON COURSE FOR MODESTO, THE ENGINE REPORTEDLY 'SPUTTERED' SUDDENLY, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE RESTORED AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA AT DUSK. ALL FUEL LINES WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT AND PROPERLY SECURED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPONENT FITTINGS. APPROXIMATELY 16 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS AND NO SYSTEM OR ACCESSORY ABNORMALITY WAS FOUND. THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTING STATION WAS REPORTING A TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT OF 59 AND 50 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART NOTES THAT THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT FALL INTO AN AREA DEFINED IN THE CHART AS 'SERIOUS ICING --CRUISE OR CLIMB POWER'.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ANTICIPATE THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LIVERMORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94550
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1746 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 274
Weather Observation Facility ID HWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2700
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 697
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41745
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60025
NTSB Number LAX90LA125
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15070012
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 6345
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT S BERTRON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1407 ASHWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAN MATEO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94402
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT S. BERTRON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1407 ASHWOOD DRIVE
Operator City SAN MATEO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94402
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 HWD
Departure City HAYWARD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOD
Destination City MODESTO
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 10:35AM
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 --