Fullerton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fullerton, California 92633
Friday, November 21, 1986 15:33 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A GULFSTREAM AMERICAN AA-5B LOST POWER AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE ON AN IFR TRAINING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD JUST SWITCHED FUEL TANKS WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN QUIT RUNNING. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDERGOING INSTRUMENT TRAINING CONDUCTED THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WITHOUT THE AID OF THE AIRCRAFT OPERATORS MANUAL. HE DID NOT CHECK THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING FUEL SUMP DRAINS. AIRCRAFT FUEL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT WING TANK FUEL SUMPS AND FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR. LABRATORY TEST RESULTS INDICATED THE FUEL SAMPLE TAKEN FROM THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED 12.6 % WATER BY VOLUME. THE RIGHT FUEL SUMP ALSO CONTAINED TRACES OF WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE REFUELING TRUCK SAMPLE DID NOT REVEAL ANY IMPURITIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/21/1986
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1533
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FULLERTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92633
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FULLERTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FUL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 96
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1533 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID FUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2342
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 21 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32995
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 5:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4520D
NTSB Number LAX87LA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GULFSTREAM
Aircraft Model AA-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA5B-1061
Certified Max Gross Weight 1360
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 1693
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINGS EXPRESS AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3815 WEST COMMONWEALTH
Aircraft Owner City FULLERTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92633
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LGB
Departure City LONG BEACH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FUL
Destination City FULLERTON
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 3121
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --