Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Santa Barbara Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Santa Barbara, California 93117
Sunday, May 22, 2005 15:54 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane collided with the ground while attempting a return to runway maneuver following a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb. The airplane came to rest in a slough next to the runway. A post accident examination of the airplane and engine was conducted by National Transportation Safety Board investigators. Examination of the magnetos found that the points gap on the right magneto was 0.026 inches and 0.036 inches on the left (the Jacobs R755 A2/B2 Operator's Manual specifies a points gap of 0.010 to 0.014 inches). The right magneto showed signs of points contact burning and of heating due to a lack of periodic oiling. Both magnetos were missing the spring-loaded oil cup at the base of the magneto. Magneto timing to the engine was checked and found to be 36 degrees before Top Dead Center (BTDC) for the right magneto and 27 degrees BTDC for the left magneto (the operator's manual specifies 31 degrees BTDC for both magnetos. Both magnetos were then removed from the engine for a bench check. Both magnetos threw sparks from the rotating cylinder to the housing, but the right magneto sparked excessively (arcing), indicating a possible failed condenser. The left magneto had a strong spark, whereas the right magneto displayed a weak coil, failing as it got warm. During the removal of the spark plugs, it was found that the number 5 spark plug was only finger tight with evidence of exhaust blow-by at the spark plug gasket area. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, at the time of the accident the ambient temperature and dew point were conducive to "Serious Icing at Glide Power." The pilot was on the ground holding at idle for about 15 minutes prior to being given a clearance for takeoff.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice aggravated by the poor operating condition of the magnetos and the improper magneto-to-engine timing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/22/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1554 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Santa Barbara |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93117 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342534N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1195025W |
| Event Location Airport | Santa Barbara |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SBA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 10 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SBA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.79 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19559 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 22 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 25 2006 11:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-VNY-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N181AS |
| NTSB Number | LAX05LA186 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Classic Aircraft Corp |
| Aircraft Model | Waco YMF-5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | F5C050 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2950 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 72 |
| Airframe Hours | 2569 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Santa Barbara Perinatal Medical Group, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 316 W Junipero |
| Aircraft Owner City | Santa Barbara |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93105 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Santa Barbara Biplane Tours |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Santa Barbara |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SBA |
| Departure City | Santa Barbara |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1552 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | SBA |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 24 2006 4:50PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15L |
| Runway Length | 4179 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |