Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frazier Park, California 93225
Saturday, February 27, 1988 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT ENG LOST POWER WHILE THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN MARGINAL WEATHER AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. THE PLT RECEIVED A PREFLT WX BRIEFING DETAILING MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AND VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DURING THE FLT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A CARBURETOR FIRE. REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT PROPER PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE MANUAL WERE NOT FOLLOWED. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP PLUNGER RETAINER WASHER WAS WORN AND HAD SLIPPED OFF THE PLUNGER SEAT. EVIDENCE OF BACKFIRING WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX, AIR FILTER AND VENTURI. THE AIR BOX WAS CLEANED AND AIR FILTER WAS REPORTEDLY REPLACED PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WHICH FAILED TO IDENTIFY A FAULT WHICH RENDERED THE AIRPLANE NONAIRWORTHY. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S EXERCISE OF POOR JUDGEMENT IN DISREGARDING WEATHER FORECASTS INDICATING WEATHER WAS BELOW MINIMUMS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FRAZIER PARK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93225
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID VNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2311
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40333
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74236
NTSB Number LAX88FA118
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 GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA-5B-0168
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 6 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2410
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name QUITTNER, ARNOLD M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5230 BIANCA
Aircraft Owner City ENCINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91316
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 VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1232
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q68
Destination City GROVE LANE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --