Storch FL-156C N156LZ
1 May 2019 · Upland, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 1 May 2019 at about 17:01 local time, a Storch FL-156C registered N156LZ was involved in an accident near Upland, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:01
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Upland, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Cable (CCB)
- Coordinates
- 34.1402, -117.6502
- Aircraft
- Storch FL-156C
- Registration
- N156LZ
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2009
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Upland → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR19LA129
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper installation of the No. 3 cylinder valve cover, which resulted in an oil leak, oil starvation, and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost oil pressure and subsequently lost total power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to return to the airport, but the airplane touched down in a field and came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed evidence of an oil leak. The leak likely came from the No. 3 cylinder, as the valve cover was loose, with a gap between the cylinder and the valve cover, which was likely the result of an improperly torqued allen screw. The improper torquing likely occurred during the pilot’s recent inspection of the crankcase throughbolts and re-installation of the engine’s four valve covers. Eventually, the No. 3 allen screw became loose during the engine run-up and continued to loosen during the taxi, takeoff, and climb phases of flight, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to oil starvation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug 2019 | Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000 | Camarillo, California, United States | N43FD Airplane LLC. | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Feb 2019 | Cessna 402 | Montague, California, United States | Redding Aero Enterprises Inc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Boeing 737 | SFO International Airport, California, United States | United Air Lines Inc | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 2019 | Piper PA28R | Shelter Cove, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Mar 2019 | North American T28 | Compton, California, United States | Tomorrows Aeronautical Museum | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 May 2019 | Grumman G164 | Pleasant Grove, California, United States | Moe's Crop Dusting Service Inc. | Fatal | 2 |