- Date
- July 12, 1988, 14:12 local (21:12 UTC)
- Place
- Lompoc, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N27EBBeech A35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880712026359A
- Case key
- 25846
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Pilot's improper use of the fuel system and his failure to maintain control of his aircraft. Contributing factors were the pilot's intentional operation of an aircraft with known deficiencies in equipment, his improper emergency procedure and his lack of experience in the model of aircraft.
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
The plt planned a short x-c flight. At about 400 ft AGL during initial climb, he experienced a total loss of engine power. The plt transmitted a distress message over UNICOM, stalled, entered an uncontrolled descent & crashed 1/2 mile from the arpt. The pilot had 88 hrs of flt experience in this acft. Exam of the wreckage revealed he had been using auto fuel in at least one tank & aviation fuel in another tank. Fuel was was found throughout the engine with the exception of in the fuel line between the firewall and the carburetor. On 6-29-88, a mechanic who had inspected the acft, wrote it up as 'disapproved for return to service'. He had found oil leaks and cylinder heads that appeared cracked. No evidence of maintenance was found in the acft logs between 6/29 & 7/12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27EB
- Reported as
- Beech A35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-1961
- Airframe hours
- 4,315
- Engine
- Continental E-185-8, 185 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph A. Vanni, Sr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 23, 1987 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- LPC · Lompoc, CA
- Destination
- HMT · Hemit, CA
- Airport
- LPC · Lompoc, runway 25, 3,600 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 391 total · 88 in this make and model · 307 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LPC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.