20170922020889I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Aero Vodochody L-39 · Thermal, CA · September 22, 2017

Date: September 22, 2017 · 08:45 local
Place: Thermal, CA
Airport: Jacqueline Cochran Airport
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N391ZA
Reported as: Aero Vodochody L-39
Reported engine: Ivchenko AI-25TL
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,947 total578 in this make and model55 in the last 90 days

N391ZARegistered now · Aero Vodochody L-39S/N 132015 · Built 1981 Airframe modelAero Vodochody L-39 Engine modelIvchenko AI-25TLTurbo-fan

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.

At 16,500 ft. during the cruise phase of the flight the crew experienced a rapid deceleration and high vibration coming from the engine. The crew declared an emergency and landed the aircraft safely at (ktrm) Jacqueline Cochran Airport. After taxing to an area where they could perform engine runs they ran the aircraft up to 70 and 86 percent and all engine indications were normal. The crew also did a visual inspection of the aircraft and found no issues. A fuel sample was also to taken to ensure that there was not an issue with the fuel. After discussing the issue with their mechanic and the pilots flight instructor it was determined that a flight to check all system should be conducted. After the successful flight was conducted the aircraft continued on to its final destination without any further issues.

As the FAA filed it

AT 16,500 FT. DURING THE CRUISE PHASE OF THE FLIGHT THE CREW EXPERIENCED A RAPID DECELERATION AND HIGH VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AT (KTRM) JACQUELINE COCHRAN AIRPORT. AFTER TAXING TO AN AREA WHERE THEY COULD PERFORM ENGINE RUNS THEY RAN THE AIRCRAFT UP TO 70 AND 86 PERCENT AND ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THE CREW ALSO DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND NO ISSUES. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS ALSO TO TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL. AFTER DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH THEIR MECHANIC AND THE PILOTS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A FLIGHT TO CHECK ALL SYSTEM SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ISSUES.