Sons Mustang II N13JL

Summary

On 22 January 1982 at about 22:59 local time, a Sons Mustang II registered N13JL, operated by K. Segrest, was involved in an accident near Lancaster, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

22 January 1982 at 22:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Lancaster, California, United States

Coordinates

34.7199, -118.1501

Aircraft

Sons Mustang II

Registration

N13JL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

K. Segrest

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

William Fox → William Fox

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82FUQ09

2 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE AIRCRAFT TO A PROSPECTIVE BUYER. ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A CIRCLING DESCENT. AT 500 TO 700 FT AGL, THE DESCENT ANGLE SUDDENLY INCREASED TO NEARLY VERTICAL AND THE PLANE CRASHED. ONE WITNESS NOTED A CONSPICUOUS ABSENCE OF ENGINE NOISE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SHAFT ON THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS BROKEN BETWEEN THE SELECTOR HANDLE AND THE INTERNAL MECHANISM OF THE VALUE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE SHAFT HAD BEEN PARTIALLY BROKEN FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. TRACES OF FUEL WERE EVIDENT AT THE LEFT AND RIGHT INLET PORTS TO THE VALVE. HOWEVER, NO FUEL WAS EVIDENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, FORWARD FROM THE FUEL SELECTOR. A TEARDOWN DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN THE OFF POSITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.