Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newhall, California 91322
Thursday, June 22, 1989 14:11 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD TO THE TOWER CTLR THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING ENG PROBLEMS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE RPRTD THAT THE ENG HAD 'QUIT'. AS THE PLT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LNDG, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TRANSMISSION WIRE & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONTAMINANTS IN THE AIRFRAME & ENG FUEL SYSTEMS. RPRTDLY, THE PLT HAD NEVER DRAINED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE FILTER, NOR WAS HE TOLD ABT THE DRAIN WHEN HE WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE MFG SALES REP. THE FUEL SYSTEM HAD BEEN CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS BY AN FBO BEFORE THE PLT DEPD ON THE ACDNT FLT. THE FUEL SERVO WAS CLEANED & THE REINSTALLING MECH DRAINED ABT 1/2 GAL OF FUEL. HE FOUND NO CONTAMINANTS, BUT HE DID NOT ENDOSCOPE THE TANKS AS RQRD BY THE MAINT MANUAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL CONTAMINATION, DUE TO THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM, AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: INADEQUATE TRANSITION TRAINING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1411
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City NEWHALL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91322
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VAN NUYS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VNY
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1407 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID VNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1533
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39874
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28LR
NTSB Number LAX89FA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model TB-21
Aircraft Series Identifier TB-21
Aircraft Serial Number 812
Certified Max Gross Weight 3086
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 28 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 157
Airframe Hours 157
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAROLD RHODEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18580 BRYMER
Aircraft Owner City NORTHBRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91326
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 1153
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City VAN NUYS
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --