Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Ardo, California 93450
Friday, May 22, 1987 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PLEASURE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING WHERE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES THEN CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN APRX THREE FT OF WATER. THE ACFT HAS HISTORY OF FOULED SPARK PLUGS RESULTING IN A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND INSPECTED, NOTING THAT THE NUMBER 4 PLUG WAS FINGER TIGHT. FRONT AND BACK PLUGS 1, 2, 6, AND 7 DISPLAYED NORMAL OPERATING SIGNATURES. NUMBERS 3, 4, AND 5 WHEN REMOVED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF A WATER AND OIL MIXTURE DRAINED. A SANDY TYPE SUBSTANCE AND VEGETATION WERE NOTED ON THE PLUGS.THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION NOTED IN THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN ARDO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93450
Event Date Year 1987
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 133
Weather Observation Facility ID PRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 836
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 19
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 463
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1801
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33623
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90840
NTSB Number LAX87LA214
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model A75N1
Aircraft Series Identifier A75N1
Aircraft Serial Number 75-1619
Certified Max Gross Weight 2717
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 May 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 1800
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GAST, EUGENE O.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2825 EARHART APRON
Aircraft Owner City TORRANCE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90505
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 L52
Departure City OCEANO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SRF
Destination City SAN RAFAEL
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 --