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19970430007179A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Palo Alto, CA · April 30, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
April 30, 1997 · 16:20 local
Place
Palo Alto, CA
Airport
Palo Alto Airport-Santa Clara Cou
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N2031N
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX97LA171
Reported as
Cessna 140
Reported engine
Lycoming O290
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,400 total1,400 in this make and model
N2031NRegistration cancelled Aug 7, 2013 · Cessna 140S/N 12267 · Built 1947Airframe modelCessna 140Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft appeared to lose power on takeoff, turned right, crashed into a grassy area off right side of runway. (.4)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.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO LOSE POWER ON TAKEOFF, TURNED RIGHT, CRASHED INTO A GRASSY AREA OFF RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY. (.4)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.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97LA171Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPalo Alto, CAthe 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…Apr 30, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N2031N · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19760427012599AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Dana Point, CANumber one connecting rod failed.Apr 27, 1976 · Substantial damage