Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Antioch, California 94531
Saturday, June 3, 2006 14:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot shut down the engine and force-landed the airplane in a field following a loss of oil pressure while performing an aerobatic maneuver. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed-over in muddy terrain. Post accident examination showed that a portion of the number 5 cylinder piston skirt had fractured and was located within the oil valve. The oil valve works through the means of gravity operated ball valves which includes two balls and a spring. During normal flight, the top ball valve is closed and the bottom ball valve is open. During inverted flight, the opposite is true. In this location, the fractured piece could prevent the ball assembly of the oil valve from seating.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of oil pressure due to metal pieces from the number 5 piston skirt in the oil system, which prevented the oil valve top ball valve from seating. The muddy terrain was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Antioch
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94531
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375600N
Event Location Longitude 1214700W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID LVK
Elevation of weather observation facility 400
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21621
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2007 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-OAK-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N117PS
NTSB Number LAX06LA190
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Aviat Aircraft Inc
Aircraft Model Pitts S-2B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5346
Certified Max Gross Weight 1625
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 2256.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Team Foumori LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City San Francisco
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94115
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Yuichi Takagi
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Livermore
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94551
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LVK
Departure City Livermore
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 2 2007 11:01PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --