Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92173
Sunday, November 22, 1987 14:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PLT WAS COMPLETING A BANNER TOWING OPN, HE APPLIED PWR TO CLIMB FROM 500' TO 1500' TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. AS HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, THEN LOST PWR. HE SAID THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE & HE RELEASED THE BANNER. HE STEERED THE ACFT AWAY FROM SURFERS & DITCHED IT IN ROUGH WATER. THE ACFT & ENG WERE BADLY DAMAGED BY THE HVY SURF & SALT WATER. THE ENG WAS EVENTUALLY RECOVERED, EXAMINED & TORN DOWN. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND, EXCEPT THE ENG DRIVEN OIL PUMP HOUSING & IMPELLERS SHOWED SIGNS OF FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE. A WITNESS HAD TAKEN A PHOTO OF THE THE ACFT BEFORE IT WAS DITCHED. THE PHOTO SHOWED A HVY TRAIL OF SMOKE (BELIEVED TO BE FROM OIL) COMING FROM THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92173
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
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 1350 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1676
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35014
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53917
NTSB Number LAX88LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 8GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 194-76
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Aug 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 2095
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LUBSHILT & TUGS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2645 CAYCE W
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBIA
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29171
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR ADS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5353 MISSION CENTER RD
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92108
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDM
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1225
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --