ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 360600
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| Date: | Friday 15 April 1994 |
| Time: | 22:32 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-140 |
| Owner/operator: | George Abernathy |
| Registration: | N4129J |
| MSN: | 28-22450 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4550 hours |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING O-320-E2A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Hesperia, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Big Bear City, CA (L35) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT DEPARTED AT NIGHT FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AFTER AN EN ROUTE STOP. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, ABOUT 200' ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER & SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A BUSH, SEPARATING THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING. THE PILOT RECOVERED THE AIRPLANE & CONDUCTED SEVERAL POST-CRASH INSPECTIONS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED A LEAK AT THE GASCOLATOR GASKET. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR WAS NOT SAFETY WIRED & THE FUEL SCREEN WAS MISSING. ALSO, THE LIP OF THE GASCOLATOR BOWL HAD 2 GOUGES, THE GASKET WAS TOO SMALL FOR THE INSTALLATION, & THE GASKET APPEARED TO HAVE ALLOWED AIR INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FAA INSPECTOR COULD NOT DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT THE PILOT'S POST-CRASH INSPECTION HAD ON THE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ABOUT 25 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
Probable Cause: LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN AIR LEAK AT THE GASCOLATOR GASKET, WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED DURING MAINTENANCE. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX94LA189
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Mar-2024 09:06 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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