Long Beach /Daugherty Field/ Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Long Beach, California 90712
Monday, September 9, 2013 13:28 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, following a touch-and-go landing, he began a normal climb. Shortly after, the engine “sputtered” and lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to the remaining runway. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard and then came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed pliable debris, similar to silicone, within the carburetor mixture metering sleeve, which would have restricted the fuel flow and produced a lean fuel-air mixture and resulted in the loss of engine power. The source of the debris could not be determined. No additional evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure was found that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power during initial climb due to debris within the carburetor mixture metering sleeve.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/2013
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1328
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Long Beach
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90712
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 334849N
Event Location Longitude 1180948W
Event Location Airport LONG BEACH /DAUGHERTY FIELD/
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 247
Airport Elevation 60
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2030 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 96
Weather Observation Facility ID KLGB
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.78
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SPECI KLGB 092030Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 27/13 A2978 RM
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) 32410
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP 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 Jan 13 2014 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42EP
NTSB Number WPR13LA402
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17269777
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 5 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 9486
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WERNTZ DAVID G
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ALTADENA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91001-3853
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name WERNTZ DAVID G
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ALTADENA
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91001-3853
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 CL27
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CL27
Destination City EL MONTE
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 13 2014 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25L
Runway Length 5421
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --