Whitman Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacoima, California 91331
Tuesady, January 13, 1987 7:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND COLLIDED WITH A LARGE WAREHOUSE. THE AIRFRAME WAS TOTALLY CONSUMED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE SPARK PLUGS WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN WITH ELECTRODE GAPS MEASURED AT GREATER THAN .025 INCHES. MAXIMUM SERVICEABLE GAP FOR THE PLUGS IS .021 INCHES, WITH THE MOST DESIRED GAP RANGE FROM .016 TO .019. THE MAINTENANCERECORDS NOTED THAT THE LAST TIME NEW PLUGS WERE INSTALLED WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 1982, 493 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLUGS WERE RECONDITIONED IN JULY OF 1984, 392 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLUG MANUFACTURER INDICATES THAT GAPS IN EXCESS OF .025 REQUIRE EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE TO FIRE UNDER CYLINDER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE CONDITIONS AT TAKEOFF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 715
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PACOIMA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91331
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WHITMAN AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WHP
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 1004
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 645 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 156
Weather Observation Facility ID BUR
Elevation of weather observation facility 775
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 645
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1521
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34975
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N112DW
NTSB Number LAX87FA084
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210M
Aircraft Series Identifier T210M
Aircraft Serial Number 21061978
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 16 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 207
Airframe Hours 1032
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAMUEL D WRIGHT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 907 TUFTS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BURBANK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91504
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAMUEL D. WRIGHT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 907 TUFTS AVENUE
Operator City BURBANK
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91504
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 WHP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WJE
Destination City LANCASTER
Destination State CA
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 12
Runway Length 3725
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --