ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 133650
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 April 1997 |
| Time: | 16:20 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 140 |
| Owner/operator: | Lester J. Mattner |
| Registration: | N2031N |
| MSN: | 12267 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2800 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-290 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Palo Alto, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | (KPAO) |
| San Andreas, CA (0O3 | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot, who was the owner/operator of the airplane, applied engine power for takeoff, and the airplane accelerated and climbed approximately 50 feet above the runway. Suddenly, the airplane banked right, and the pilot attempted to lower the left wing by applying opposite aileron. His efforts were inadequate. He lost control of the airplane as the nose pitched down, and the airplane crashed. The airplane came to rest in an open dirt field about 150 feet from the runway's edge. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction or failures were experienced during the flight. An examination of the airplane revealed it had been modified by the addition of fuel tanks which increased the total fuel tank capacity from 25 gallons (standard) to about 60 gallons. The pilot reported that this modification, which was performed under his direction, had increased the airplane's stall speed by 6 mph. The FAA had not approved the modification.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to obtain and/or maintain adequate airspeed during initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the degraded climb performance due to an unauthorized modification of the airplane, which increased the airplane's maximum fuel tank capacity and stall speed.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX97LA171
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 15:44 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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