Rio Linda Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rio Linda, California 95673
Friday, August 4, 1989 9:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT FLEW FROM SACRAMENTO TO RIO LINDA, LINCOLN, MARYSVILLE, THEN BACK TO RIO LINDA. AS HE WAS DEPG MARYSVILLE, HE NOTICED AN IMPROPER INDCN OF THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR (WHICH WAS READING TOO LOW). HE ASSUMED A BUG HAD BLOCKED THE PITOT OPENING & CONTINUED TO RIO LINDA. ON ARRIVAL, THE ACFT BOUNCED DRG AN ATTEMPTED 'WHEEL LANDING.' THE PLT BELIEVED THE AIRSPEED MAY HAVE BEEN TOO HIGH (OR TOO LOW), CAUSING THE ACFT TO BOUNCE. HE CONTINUED THE LANDING, BUT THE ACFT BOUNCEDAGAIN, SO HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DRG THE GO-AROUND, HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY HIS INABILITY TO LOCATE & TURN OFF THE CARBURETOR HEAT. AS HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL, THE ACFT ANGLED OFF THE RWY TO THE RIGHT & HEADED TOWARD THE WIND TEE & A FENCE WHICH PARALLELED THE RWY. THE PLT AVOIDED THE WIND TEE, BUT THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING & TAILWHEEL STRUCK THE FENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING AN ABORTED LANDING. RELATED FACTORS WERE: A FALSE AIRSPEED INDICATION, THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, HIS IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION, AND THE FENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIO LINDA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95673
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIO LINDA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q94
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 45
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1462
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39808
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84709
NTSB Number LAX89LA261
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-3356
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 4241
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLYING PANTHERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 22426
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95822
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 MYV
Departure City MARYSVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code Q94
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 17
Runway Length 2620
Runway Width 42
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --