# Accident 19981001027439A: Gulstm STC680, Palm Springs, CA, October 1, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 1, 1998, 10:05 local time - Place: Palm Springs, CA - Airport: Palm Springs Regional Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.8297° N, 116.5067° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PALM SPRINGS INTL (PSP), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8297&lon=-116.5067&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5YZ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5YZ-2000-04-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aero Commander 680FL P (registry code 0141610, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-680fl-p) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GULSTM STC680 - Reported engine: LYC IO720B1BD - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA001) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981001027439A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT WAS ON A MAINTENCE TEST FLIGHT WHEN IT REPORTED A FUEL PROBLEM SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT WHEN IT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED. (.19) ON OCTOBER 1, 1998, AT 1005 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER 680 FPL, N5YZ, WAS DESTROYED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PALM SPRINGS AS A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. AFTER A NORTHBOUND DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 31L, THE PILOT STAYED LOW AND REPORTED A FUEL PROBLEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWERLINES AND TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. (.4) WHILE DEPARTING ON A LOCAL AREA AIRCRAFT CHECKOUT FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT STAYED LOW AND THE PILOT ADVISED THE TOWER THAT HE HAD A FUEL PROBLEM. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FUELED WITH AVIATION GRADE 100LL TWICE THE DAY BEFORE IN PREPARATION FOR A TRIP. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES 1.5 MILES NORTH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES REVEALED SEVERE DETONATION HAD OCCURRED. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS OBTAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND TESTE D NEGATIVE FOR JET FUEL CONTAMINATION. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED BY INSTALLATION OF HIGHER HORSEPOWER ENGINES AND TURBOCHARGERS WITH MANUAL WASTEGATES. DURING POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS THE MANUAL WASTEGATES WERE FOUND PARTIALLY CLOSED; A POSITION THAT CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MANIFOLD PRESSURE. THE ENGINES ARE RESTRICTED TO A MAXIMUM OF 29.5 INHG. (-23) ON OCTOBER 1, 1998, AT 1006 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER GA-680-FPL, N5YZ, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT FLEW INTO HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES NORTH OF THE PALM SPRINGS, CA, REGIONAL AIRPORT. A POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED A MAJOR PORTION OF THE AIRFRAME BUT CONTROL SYSTEM AND FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUITY COULD BE ESTABLISHED. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH DEPARTED FROM PALM SPRINGS, CA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT. THE PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT FAA CONTROL TOWER REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT N5YZ TAXIED FROM SIGNATURE AVIATION, DEPARTED RUNWAY 31L, PALM SPRINGS, AIRCRAFT DIRECTION OF FLIGHT WAS TO THE NORTH AND STAYED LOW, ADVISED TOWER OF A FUEL PROBLEM. ## 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 LAX99FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA001), Oct 1, 1998: Aero Commander 680 FPL (N5YZ), Palm Springs, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly use the manual turbocharger wastegates and to monitor the manifold pressure during takeoff. ## Other reports on N5YZ (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19950701026479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950701026479I), Jul 1, 1995: Gulstm 680FLP (N5YZ), Boulder, CO, Minor damage. During check out in 680 flp nose gear collapsed landing. Had loose steering missing bushing and loose gear. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.