Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oracle, Arizona 85623
Thursday, March 10, 1988 11:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A CATTLE SURVEY AND WAS RETURNING TO THE RANCH AIRSTRIP WHEN HE ADDED POWER TO CLIMB BACK TO PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE ADDED THROTTLE HE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE ENGINE POWER OUTPUT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE LIMITED POWER; HOWEVER, THE POWER LEVEL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE GROUND, TRAVELING UPSLOPE ON A HILL, AND HIT SEVERAL SMALL TREES WHICH SHEARED OFF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED AND COULD NOT BE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. NO INTERNAL ABNORMALITY WAS NOTED ON THE ENGINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ORACLE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85623
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 2371
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 10 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39085
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68871
NTSB Number LAX88LA123
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HELIO
Aircraft Model HT-295
Aircraft Series Identifier HT-295
Aircraft Serial Number 1704
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 1081
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAINBOW LEASING, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 204 MOORE STREET
Aircraft Owner City HARRISBURG
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97446
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLOW SPRINGS RANCH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7070 N. ORACLE ROAD
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85704
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City ORACLE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --