E L Griggs Q2 N1180A

Summary

On 27 July 1984 at about 15:21 local time, a E L Griggs Q2 registered N1180A was involved in an accident near Hollister, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 July 1984 at 15:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Hollister, California, United States

Coordinates

36.8899, -121.2402

Aircraft

E L Griggs Q2

Registration

N1180A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX84FVM01

1 person 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 ACFT PASSED OVER THE ARPT TWICE AFTER DEPARTURE WITH THE ENGINE POPPING AND BACKFIRING. A WITNESS WHO HEARD THIS RADIOED THE PLT TO WARN HIM. THE PLT REPLIED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO CORRECT IT WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL. THE PLT WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT HIS RADIO HAD BACKGROUND NOISE AND A SQUEAL. THE PLT REPLIED THAT IT MUST BE THE OPERATOR. THEACFT THEN FLEW OUT OF SIGHT. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRING AND LOOKED IN TIME TO SEE PARTS FALLING OFF OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED. THE MAIN WINGS WERE FOUND 165 AND 300 FT FROM THE FUSELAGE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT HAD INSTALLED A MODIFIED WING FUEL TANK IN THE FOAM FILLED WING AND THE USE OF AUTO GAS HAD DISSOLVED THE FOAM FILLING BY A LEAK, SPILLAGE, OR OVERFLOW. THE FOAM WAS TESTED WITH AVGAS AND NO DAMAGE RESULTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.