Brown Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92123
Saturday, September 10, 1983 16:49 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE PRACTICING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE 4TH TOUCH & GO, THE LEFT ENG LOST POWER WHILE CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE STUDENT SAW OIL COMING FROM THE LEFT ENG. THE CFI FEATHERED THE LEFT ENG, & AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT WAS VIBRATING & INDICATING 100 MPH. THE CFI LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN THE BEST SINGLE ENG RATE OF CLIMB SPEED. HOWEVER, AT THAT SPEED, THE ACFT WAS IN A DESCENT. THE CFI CONTINUED OVER ROUGH TERRAIN TOWARD POWER LINES UNTIL HE REALIZED THE ACFT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO FLY, THEN TURNED TO THE MOST SUITABLE TERRAIN & CRASH LANDED. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED A BROKEN OIL COOLER LINE. HOWEVER, 4 QTS OF OIL WAS STILL REMAINING & THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE LOSS OF OIL HAD CAUSED THE ENG FAILURE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE HEAVILY SOOTED, WHICH WAS INDICATIVE OF AN EXTREMELY RICH MIXTURE. ROUGH SPOTS WERE FOUND ON THE CARBURETOR FLOAT CHAMBER NEEDLE VLV, WHICH REPORTEDLY COULD HAVE ALLOWED THE VLV TO STICK OPEN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1649
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92123
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BROWN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SDM
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 240
Airport Elevation 524
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1649 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID SDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 524
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) 2095
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2483
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22802
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2180P
NTSB Number LAX83LA432
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA23-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA23-150
Aircraft Serial Number 23789
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 6 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 3368
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CORONADO RACING CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 601 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PARKER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85344
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1648
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 10:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26R
Runway Length 7999
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --