# Accident 19970606013489A: Lkheed P38L, Tillamook, OR, June 6, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 6, 1997, 18:00 local time
- Place: Tillamook, OR
- Airport: Tillamook Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.4595° N, 123.7099° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4595&lon=-123.7099&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7973, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7973-2014-12-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lockheed P-38L (registry code 5260206, https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-p-38l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LKHEED P38L
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 4,810 total, 6 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97FA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA130) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970606013489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE AIRCRAFT (P-38) HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF WITH FULL RESERVE & MAIN FUEL TANKS (44 US GAL/ENGINE RESERVE TANKS & 72 GAL/ENGINE MAIN TANKS). THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH ABOUT 20 MINUTES FUEL HAVING BEEN ALREADY CONSUMED. OPERATING WITH ANOTHER P-38 WITHIN THE AIRPORT AREA, THE 2 AIRCRAFT FLEW ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES EACH. THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS REPORTED NOMINALLY AT 60 GALLONS/HOUR/ENGINE (1 GAL/MINUTE). WITH 44 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH RESERVE TANK FOR THE DURATION OF BOTH FLIGHTS, THE ENGINES WOULD HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL AVAILABLE FUEL IN EACH RESERVE TANK AFTER ABOUT 44 MINUTES. BOTH FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND ON THE RESERVE SETTING AT THE SITE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH EITHER PROPELLER OR ENGINE. THE FLAPS & LANDING GEAR WERE RETRACTED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S MANUAL (FLIGHT MANUAL), IF ONE ENGINE FAILS BELOW 120 MPH (SAFE SINGLE-ENGINE AIRSPEED), THE PILOT IS TO 'CLOSE BOTH THROTTLES AND LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD.' THE FLIGHT MANUAL DID NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION FOR AIRCRAFT MINIMUM CONTROL SPEEDS WITH THE FLAPS FULLY RETRACTED. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOW WHILE TURNING BASE. SINCE THIS WAS A SINGLE-SEAT AIRCRAFT, THERE WAS NO PROVISION FOR 'DUAL' INS TRUCTIONAL TRAINING IN SINGLE-ENGINE PROCEDURES OR SPIN RECOVERY. THE PILOT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE FLOWN 6 OR 7 HOURS IN ANOTHER P-38, WHICH INCLUDED PRACTICE SIMULATED SINGLE-ENGINE MANEUVERS, BUT NO ACTUAL IN-FLIGHT SHUT DOWN & FEATHERING OF AN ENGINE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA97FA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA130), Jun 7, 1997: Lockheed P-38L (N7973), Tillamook, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain minimum control speed (VMC), after loss of power in one engine, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain. Related factors were: the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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