ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 70128
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| Date: | Saturday 21 November 2009 |
| Time: | 13:20 |
| Type: |  Lancair Legacy 2000 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7JX |
| MSN: | L2K-187 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 734 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-550 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Watsonville, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Santa Barbra, CA (KSBA) |
| San Carlos, CA (KSQL) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
While en route, the pilot contacted flight watch to declare an emergency and report that the airplane's engine lost power. He additionally stated the airplane was at 10,000 feet, and he was going to try to make it to the airport. He subsequently stated that the airplane was on fire. One minute and 42 seconds later, the pilot transmitted that he was at 5,000 feet, and that there was smoke; however, he could see the airport, and thought he could make it. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground vertically, 1/4-mile from the end of the runway. Documentation of the wreckage was consistent with an aerodynamic stall and rapid vertical descent. On scene examination of the airplane wreckage showed no evidence of a fire; however, the belly of the airplane was coated with oil. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed thermal discoloration and mechanical damage consistent with oil starvation. A review of the airplane and engine maintenance records documented a loss of oil pressure due to a broken oil return line about 3 months (26.6 aircraft hours) prior to the accident. The records also indicated that the airplane was not maintained by an appropriately certificated mechanic, and that the pilot performed most of the maintenance on the airplane, even though he was not certified to do so. Examination of the FAA airman records database revealed the pilot was never issued a Repairman Certificate for this airplane. Post-mortem toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot was consistent with the recent use of a typical dose of a prescription narcotic pain reliever. It is possible that the pilot's response to the emergency may have been adversely affected by the use of the medication or by the condition for which the medication was taken.
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to oil starvation and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while approaching the landing area resulting in an aerodynamic stall, rapid descent, and collision with terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Nov-2009 15:28 | RobertMB | Added |
| 21-Nov-2009 15:47 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 21-Nov-2009 17:35 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 05-Dec-2009 23:21 | Anon. | Updated |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 02-Dec-2017 17:49 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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