Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Simi, California 96063
Saturday, March 5, 1983 12:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND IN A STEEP UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED IN A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL AND THIS CONTINUED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING HIGH POWER AT THIS TIME. NO WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT BEFORE THE DIVE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE COCKPIT CONTROL STICK HAD FAILED AND THE AILERON AND STABILATOR CROSS-BAR RIGHT MOUNTING POST TUBE WELDED AREA FAILED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A PRE-EXISTING CRACK HAD EXISTED FOR SOME TIME ON THE CROSS-BAR TUBE WHEN THIS TUBE FAILED THE FLT CONTROLS JAMMED WHICH PREVENTED THE PLT FROM CONTROLLING THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SIMI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96063
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 276
Weather Observation Facility ID VYN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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 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) 2692
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22991
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 N3124
NTSB Number LAX83FA124
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name THORP
Aircraft Model T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier T-18
Aircraft Serial Number MC-68
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Dec 15 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 506
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TED J. MASON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17440 GILMORE
Aircraft Owner City VAN NUYS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91406
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ERIC J. SHAW & ASSOCIATES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8437 DE SOTO
Operator City CANOGA PARK
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91304
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1152
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 Descent
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --