Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Liano, California 93544
Sunday, April 2, 1989 9:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE PISTON HAD SEIZED WITH FOUR POINTS OF CONTACT ALONG THE CYLINDER WALL. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RECENTLY OVERHAULED AND HAD 1.1 TOTAL HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TWO CYCLE ENGINE (MANUFACTURERED BY ROTAX) HELD NO FAA APPROVAL BY EITHER TYPE CERTIFICATE OR PRODUCTION CERTIFICATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A SEIZED PISTON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LIANO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93544
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 900
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 5
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2208
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41969
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N85HL
NTSB Number LAX89DUQ03
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 MARTIN
Aircraft Model SORRELL HIPERLIGHT
Aircraft Series Identifier SORRELL HI
Aircraft Serial Number 082
Certified Max Gross Weight 500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 108
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICK L. UNDERWOOD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14609 DAHLIA RIDGE
Aircraft Owner City CANYON COUNTRY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91351
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LOPEZ, DALE ALLEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 23019 OAK STREET
Operator City NEWHALL
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91321
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
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 Takeoff
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 --