Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saint Helena, California 94574
Wednesday, August 14, 1985 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL PERSONAL FLT, THE PLT SAID THE 'ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH A SHAKE VIOLENTLY.' WITH NOT ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, HOWEVER, OVERRAN THE FIELD AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS IN A VINEYARD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED STUCK INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES IN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER. IN ADDITION, THE EXHAUST VALVE PUSHROD WAS FOUND SEPARATED IN THE MIDDLE WITH SEVERE BATTERING PEENING NOTED TO THE BROKEN ENDS OF THE PUSHROD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/14/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAINT HELENA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94574
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 1645 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID APC
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 1800
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2410
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29822
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5259K
NTSB Number LAX85LA351
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274034
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 1449
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JUCHAU FAMILY TRUST
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2187
Aircraft Owner City NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94558
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIDGEPORT FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address NAPA COUNTY AIRPORT
Operator City NAPA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94558
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 APC
Departure City NAPA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:36AM
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 --