Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tuba City, Arizona 86045
Saturday, November 17, 1990 11:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD REPEATEDLY EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENG DURING HIS CROSS-COUNTRY FLT FROM SANTE FE. HE HAD ALSO OBSERVED HIGH ENG AND OIL TEMPS. HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND REQUESTED THAT A MECHANIC REPAIR THE ENG. HE THEN TOOK OFF AND CONTINUED HIS PLANNED FLIGHT. ONCE AGAIN THE ENG RAN ROUGH, AND HE MADE ANOTHER PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HE EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND ADDED FIVE QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENG. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE ENG AGAIN RAN ROUGH. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE 2,000 FT DIRT RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENG REVEALED BROKEN RINGS IN TWO PISTONS, AND ALL OTHER PISTON RINGS HAD LOST THEIR TEMPER. DENSITY ALTITUDE ESTIMATED 6.700 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PISTON RINGS WHICH REDUCED THE AVAILABLE ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED OPERATION OF HIS AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN ENGINE DEFICIENCY DURING THE RELATIVELY HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUBA CITY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86045
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2269
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44802
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5703Q
NTSB Number LAX91LA033
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 711
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Jan 5 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 210
Airframe Hours 3689
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STORY, DAVID L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 110 DEERVALLEY DR.
Operator City DEERPARK
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60010
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCN
Destination City GRAND CANYON
Destination State AZ
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --