American AA-1 N5968L

Summary

On 22 October 2003 at about 22:15 local time, a American AA-1 registered N5968L, operated by Michael D. White, was involved in an accident near San Martin, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 October 2003 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

San Martin, California, United States

Nearest airport

South County Airport (KQ99)

Coordinates

37.6817, -121.5969

Aircraft

American AA-1

Registration

N5968L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Michael D. White

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Martin → Willows

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA022

2 people were seriously injured.

The absence of compression in two of the airplane's four cylinders, and the pilot/mechanic's failure to maintain the engine in an airworthy condition, which resulted in a loss of engine power during takeoff-initial climb, and subsequent forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot/airplane owner, who is also an aviation mechanic, reported a loss of engine power after takeoff during the initial climb. He said the engine was running rough, and started to lose power. He was unable to maintain altitude, and made a forced landing. The airplane collided with a fence during the landing roll. An examination of the engine disclosed virtually no compression in two of the four cylinders, an absence of an air cleaner, excessively wide gaps on all of bottom spark plugs, and a heavily sooted and fouled number 4 top spark plug. The engine was installed in July, 1978, and had accumulated 2157.5 total operating hours; it has never been overhauled.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.