Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sacramento, California 95822
Tuesady, May 9, 1989 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CLIMB TO ALT, THE ENG SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD GRINDING SOUND & BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CULTIVATED FIELD. WHILE LANDING, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED FURROWS IN THE TERRAIN & THE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INSPN OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #4 PISTON HAD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER FOUR PISTON ASSEMBLY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SACRAMENTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95822
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
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 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 296
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1109
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38838
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7238A
NTSB Number LAX89LA146
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-2254
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 30 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 738
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FTA LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 350 UNIV. AVE. SUITE 200
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95825
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WOODLAND AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1157
Operator City WOODLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95695
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 SAC
Departure City SACRAMENTO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 957
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 085
Destination City REDDING
Destination State CA
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 --