Westheimer Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77001
Monday, September 5, 1988 16:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD A FIELD. THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK A LEVEE AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED INVERTED. DURING A POST-CRASH INSPECTION, A LARGE MUD DAUBER NEST WAS FOUND INSIDE THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM, JUST BEHIND THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL VALVE. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH VENTED FUEL CAPS, AND THE FUEL TANK VENT LINES IN BOTH WINGS WERE OBSTRUCTED WITH A FOREIGN MATERIAL. THERE WERE NUMEROUS OTHER SMALL MUD-DAUBER NESTS INSIDE THE COWLING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77001
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WESTHEIMER AIR PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5TA4
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 117
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 1909
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38179
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6208L
NTSB Number FTW88LA163
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 AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA1B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA1B
Aircraft Serial Number AA1B-0008
Certified Max Gross Weight 1560
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 18 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 1784
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GILLANDERS, JOHN A
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3901 WOODCHASE
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77042
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GILLANDERS, JOHN A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3901 WOODCHASE
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77042
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 5TA4
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 29
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 28
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --