Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Barbara, California 93101
Tuesady, March 28, 1989 13:53 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OBSERVED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES FLYING VERY LOW OVER THE WATER. AT ONE POINT, IT STRUCK THE WATER BUT RECOVERED AND FLEW A BIT HIGHER ABOVE THE WATER FOR ANOTHER MILE. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT TURN TOWARD THE SHORELINE AND IT APPEARED TO GLIDE NOSE DOWN INTO THE WATER. THE STUDENT PILOT SAID HE WAS DESCENDING TOWARD THE WATER AT 400 TO 600 FPM WHEN THE ENGINE BACKFIRED. HE SAID THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH AND WOULD PRODUCE ONLY 1,200 RPM. HE FLEW AT THIS POWER SETTING FOR A MILE OR MORE, JUST ABOVE THE WATER, AND EVEN STRUCK THE TOPS OF THE WAVES AT TIMES. THE WHEELS STRUCK THE WATER AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, AND THEN NOSED INTO THE WATER. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS BY THE PLT WHEN HE DECIDED TO INTENTIONALLY FLY LOW OVER ROUGH WATER IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1353
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA BARBARA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93101
Event Date Year 1989
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 611
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40121
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20356
NTSB Number LAX89LA139
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 32796
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jan 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 2200
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name YEHIAM KANSKI
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1184
Aircraft Owner City RESEDA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91335
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name YEHIAM KANSKI
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1184
Operator City RESEDA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91335
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 1300
Departure Time Zone PST
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 Descent
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 --