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| Date: | Thursday 20 June 2024 |
| Time: | 10:31 |
| Type: |  Lancair LC-42 Columbia 350 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N141PB |
| MSN: | 42066 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Humboldt Bay, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Eureka-Murray Field, CA (EKA/KEKA) |
| Napa County Airport, CA (APC/KAPC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On June 20, 2024, about 1040 Pacific daylight time, a Lancair LC42-550FG (Columbia 350), N141PB sustained substantial damaged when it was involved in an accident near Humboldt Bay, California. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight.
Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost most of its oil, resulting in a partial engine seizure and a total loss of engine power. During a forced landing to a soft field, the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a rocker cover gasket was misaligned before the accident. The gasket was unable to maintain an adequate seal and opened during the accident flight. Oil was then ejected out of the gap between the rocker cover and cylinder head, which resulted in oil exhaustion.
Maintenance that was performed about 20 flight hours before the accident flight would have included installing the gasket. Maintenance instructions required a series of specific steps to install the gasket; based on the condition of the gasket after the accident, the instructions were likely not followed properly.
Probable Cause: Maintenance personnel’s incorrect installation of an engine rocker cover gasket, which resulted in oil exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power during the initial climb.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/aircraft-crash-humboldt-bay-wildlife-refuge-19524503.php
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194542
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N141PB
https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/201089477/n141pb-2005-columbia-350
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Cessna_N141PB_%285725529348%29.jpg (photo)
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jun-2024 00:38 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 21-Jun-2024 05:50 | vasilf | Updated [Source, ] |
| 06-Jul-2024 20:18 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
| 25-Apr-2025 08:59 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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