American AA-1 N5655L
10 March 1990 · Borego Springs, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 10 March 1990 at about 23:16 local time, a American AA-1 registered N5655L, operated by Puffer, Gene L., was involved in an accident near Borego Springs, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:16
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Borego Springs, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.1700, -116.2700
- Aircraft
- American AA-1
- Registration
- N5655L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Puffer, Gene L.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Borego Springs → El Cajon
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX90FA111
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/MUSH INTO RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TO PROVIDE FULL POWER, DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND SUBSEQUENT WEAR OF THE CAM LOBES & TAPPETS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 228 HRS, SINCE THE ENG WAS OVERHAULED. THE OVERHAUL WAS DONE BY THE OWNERS & SIGNED OFF BY AN A & P MECH. DRG THE OVERHAUL, THE CAM SHAFT WAS GROUND & THE TAPPETS RESURFACED. THE LYCOMING O/H MANUAL STATED THAT IF THE CAM SHAFT WAS REPLACED OR REGROUND, NEW TAPPETS MUST BE INSTALLED TO PREVENT SEVERE WEAR & SPALLING OF THE CAM LOBES & TAPPET BODIES. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE CAM LOBES & TAPPETS FOR THE #1 & #2 CYLS WERE SEVERELY SPALLED & WORN DOWN TO ABOUT HALF THE NORMAL PROFILE. LYC TECH REPS SAID THE CAM LOBE WEAR WOULD CHANGE THE DURATION & AMOUNT OF VALVE ACTION, REDUCING THE POWER OUTPUT ABILITY. OTR DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE EXAM OF THE ENG. AFTER DEPG, THE ACFT CLIMBED TOWARD THE MTNS. THE TRRN RISE WAS ABOUT 470 FT/MI & THE ACFT WAS CAPABLE OF CLIMBING AT ABOUT 350 FT/MI. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT APCH THE MTN RIDGE LOW & SLOW, THEN TURN LEFT AS IT BEGAN A DSCNT TO THE GND. HIGH WINDS WERE BLOWING ACROSS THE RIDGE AT THE TIME & CLOUDS TOPPED THE MTNS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other American AA-1 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb 1990 | American AA-1 | Cherokee, Alabama, United States | Troy Uptain | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Jul 1991 | American AA-1 | Dexter, Michigan, United States | Joseph A. Egan | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Jun 1988 | American AA-1 | Hemet, California, United States | Ronald Deahr | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 1993 | American AA-1 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States | Curenton, Rufus B. | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 1993 | American AA-1 | Iuka, Mississippi, United States | Wingo, Lewis | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Dec 1994 | American AA-1 | Oasis, California, United States | Nathan Carriker | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 1990 | Cessna 180 | Soledad, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1990 | Cessna 150 | Riverside, California, United States | PAR Flight | No injuries | - |
| 17 Apr 1990 | Piper PA46 | Paso Robles, California, United States | Piper Aircraft Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Oct 1990 | Cessna 182M | Bakersfield, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Apr 1990 | Piper J-3 | Creston, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1990 | Bell 47G4 | Merced, California, United States | John W. Myers | Serious injuries | - |