Accident Grumman American AA-5B N28565, Tuesday 8 August 1989

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Date:	Tuesday 8 August 1989
Time:	13:09 LT
Type:	Grumman American AA-5B
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N28565
MSN:	AA5B-0684
Year of manufacture:	1977
Total airframe hrs:	1393 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-360-A4K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Terminal Island, CA - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Long Beach, CA (KLGB)
Destination airport:	Avalon, CA (KAVX)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
DURING AN OVERWATER FLT TO CROSS A 23 MI CHANNEL, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH & LOOSE POWER. THE PLT TURNED TOWARD THE SHORE & MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD ON TERMINAL ISLAND. BEFORE THE ACFT STOPPED, IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE & SVRL PARKED CARS IN A STORAGE LOT. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE TOP OF THE #1 PISTON & THE #1 CYLINDER HEAD WERE SEVERELY BATTERED; THE #1 EXHAUST VALVE HEAD HAD SEPD FROM ITS STEM & WAS FOUND IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM; THE EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE WAS SEVERELY WORN AT THE EXHAUST PORT; AND THE VALVE STEM AREA WAS HEAVILY CORRODED & COKED WITH EXHAUST RESIDUE. A FATIGUE FRACTURE WAS IDENTIFIED ON A PORTION OF THE VALVE HEAD THAT WAS NOT DAMAGED. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE VALVE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE DUE TO OVERHEATING, WHICH RESULTED FROM A WORN OR BELL MOUTHED VALVE GUIDE.

Probable Cause: THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF AN EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE RESPECTIVE VALVE GUIDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FENCE & CARS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Accident investigation: