Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Saturday, July 9, 1988 12:08 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW. EN ROUTE TO THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROAD WHERE DURING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TELEPHONE WIRES AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE TERRAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE GOVERNOR IDLER GEAR STUD THAT HOLDS THE IDLER GEAR IN PLACE WAS MISSING. THE GEAR WAS FLOATING FREELY IN A SMALL CAVITY AND WEARING A HOLE THROUGH THE HOUSING ON THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR. METAL WAS FOUND IN THE OIL PAN AND IN THE OIL FILTER. THE ENGINE OVERHAUL WAS COMPLETED 3 OPERATING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1208
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1234
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37327
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6106U
NTSB Number LAX88LA250
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 TU206G
Aircraft Series Identifier TU206G
Aircraft Serial Number U20605323
Certified Max Gross Weight 3616
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2847
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KOVACS, ELEMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT #2 BOX 234
Aircraft Owner City CHENEY
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99004
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SPOKANE AIRWAYS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 19125
Operator City SPOKANE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99219
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 SQL
Departure City SAN CARLOS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 --