- Date
- April 19, 1987, 19:00 local (Apr 20, 1987, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Catalina, CA
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5596PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870419010259A
- Case key
- 25571
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Just after takeoff, the plt stated that he heard a loud bang. The acft began to vibrate severely with the engine developing partial power. The acft would not climb and the plt was able to maintain 100 fpm descent. Unable to return to the arpt, the plt ditched the acft in the ocean. Inspection of the propeller blades exhibited leading edge damage along the outboard 4-5 inches with some polishing of the cambered side. One blade was bent forward and missing aprx 4 inches of the tip. Aprx one inch further was a gouge on the leading edge. The other blade was bent rearward. On the leading edge aprx 4 inches from the tip was a gouge and crack aprx one inch long. The engine contained a considerable amount of rust and corrosion from being in contact with salt water. No other mechanical failure or malfunctions could be noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5596P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-663
- Airframe hours
- 3,819
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1A5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas Armstrong
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 17, 1986 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- AVX · Catalina, CA
- Destination
- TOA · Torrance, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 275 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LGB, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.