Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fortuna, California 95540
Saturday, January 25, 1986 10:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT STALLED IN A TURN DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. POST ACC INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN INOPERATIVE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE. WITNESSES SAID THAT THE ACFT DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS DEVELOPING FULL PWR DURING TAKE OFF ROLL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENG SPUTTERED AND DIED. WHEN THE PLT TRIED TO CLIMB & TURN BACK TO THE ARPT HE LOST CONTRL AND STALLED INTO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FORTUNA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95540
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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) 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 86
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29895
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N661S
NTSB Number LAX86FVD04
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VANGRUNSVEN
Aircraft Model RV-3A
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-3A
Aircraft Serial Number 64661
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1800
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD A. SCOTT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2578 KENMAR RD.
Aircraft Owner City FORTUNA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95540
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FOT
Departure City FORTUNA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code EKA
Destination City EUREKA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
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 --