Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Metropolitan Oakland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Alameda, California 94501
Sunday, April 3, 2011 15:37 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A pilot-rated witness reported that the airplane’s initial climb was normal and that the engine sounded good; however, as the airplane continued to climb, the engine lost power as if the throttle had been retarded or the mixture control placed in the idle cutoff position. The witness further reported that the airplane began a descending left turn and continued to descend until he lost sight of it. Another pilot reported hearing “emergency emergency” transmitted on the control tower frequency shortly after the accident airplane was cleared for takeoff. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The airplane was equipped with auxiliary wing tip fuel tanks, and the five-point positive lock fuel selector valve was found in the right tip tank position. The fuel selector rotated freely and flow continuity was confirmed for each position. The left and right auxiliary tip tanks were separated from the wing tips and contained fuel; the left and right main tanks were breached; and the main auxiliary tank was intact and contained fuel. The flight manual supplement for the tip tanks stated that the auxiliary tip tank fuel was to be used in level flight only. However, it could not be determined if the fuel selector valve’s position as found resulted in fuel starvation to the engine and the subsequent loss of engine power.
The flight path observed by the witness and the damage to the airplane were consistent with the pilot maneuvering the airplane for an emergency landing and allowing the airspeed to decay, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering for an emergency landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during initial climb.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/3/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1537 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Alameda |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94501 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 374450N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1221329W |
| Event Location Airport | Metropolitan Oakland |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOAK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 9 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOAK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9 |
| 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 | 25000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 30032 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 2 2012 4:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | snyg |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N91472 |
| NTSB Number | WPR11FA184 |
| 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 | NORTH AMERICAN |
| Aircraft Model | NAVION A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | NAV-4-279 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 5 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2676 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MANUEL RICHARD E |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN MATEO |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94402-5012 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MANUEL RICHARD E |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | SAN MATEO |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 94402-5012 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KOAK |
| Departure City | Oakland |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1536 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KOAK |
| Destination City | Oakland |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2012 4:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 3372 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |