Lompoc Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lompoc, California 93436
Sunday, September 23, 2012 9:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After the airplane took off and turned downwind, the engine began to lose power. The pilot activated the boost pump, but this was followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot then elected to return to the departure runway, but after he realized that he had insufficient altitude to reach the runway, he chose to land in an open field. Following touchdown, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage after sliding about 80 feet before coming to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the carburetor, boost pump, and relief valve revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the airplane was operating in a regime where it may be susceptible to serious carburetor icing at cruise power, the engine was operating at higher power setting, and there was no evidence that carburetor icing played a role in the accident. The reason for the loss of engine could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Lompoc
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93436
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 343956N
Event Location Longitude 1202803W
Event Location Airport Lompoc Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LPC
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 --
Airport Elevation 88
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 935 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID LPC
Elevation of weather observation facility 88
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 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) 32480
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 17 2013 3:08PM
User who most recently changed record litt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4418K
NTSB Number WPR12LA434
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 NAVION
Aircraft Model NAVION
Aircraft Series Identifier A
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-1418
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 865
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Dylan L. Abbott
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Lompoc
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93436
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dylan L. Abbott
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lompoc
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93436
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 LPC
Departure City Lompoc
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1O3
Destination City Lodi
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2014 7:40PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --