Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lodi, California 95240
Saturday, August 11, 1990 12:04 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED ANOTHER APRT EARLIER THE SAME DAY. THE PLT NOTICED THE ENG OIL PRESS WAS LOW. THE PLT DIVERTED FROM HIS DESTINATION TO ANOTHER APRT. WHILE ENROUTE, THE ENG OIL PRESS GAUGE WENT TO ZERO. AFTER LANDING, THE PLT CHECKED THE ACFT ENG OIL SYSTEM FOR LEAKS. THERE WERE NONE AND THE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS CORRECT AT 7 QTS. THE PLT THEN ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT. ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT, THE ACFT PROP WENT TO LOW PITCH; 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD. THE ENG WAS EXAMINED AND A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE ENG CASE. THE NO 2 PISTON ROD HAD FAILED. THE ROD EXHIBITED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT EVIDENT OF OIL STARVATION. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT WITH A UNRESOLVED DEFICIENCY IN THE AIRCRAFT POWERPLANT RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWERPLANT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1204
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LODI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95240
Event Date Year 1990
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID SCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 23000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1391
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42700
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9236M
NTSB Number LAX90LA284
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3445
Certified Max Gross Weight 2775
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 Feb 15 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 2897
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GIFFORD, KEVIN H
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6013 SHANDON LANE
Aircraft Owner City BAKERSFIELD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93306
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GIFFORD, KEVIN H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6013 SHANDON
Operator City BAKERSFIELD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93306
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 FAT
Departure City FRESN0
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MYV
Destination City MARYSVILLE
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 --