- Date
- March 10, 1988, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Oracle, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N68871Helio HT-295
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880310005019A
- Case key
- 25960
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
Engine failure for undetermined reasons.
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 pilot said that he had completed a cattle survey and was returning to the ranch airstrip when he added power to climb back to pattern altitude. The pilot stated that as he added throttle he heard a loud pop and the engine began to lose power. The pilot said that he turned on the boost pump but it had no effect on the engine power output. The pilot noted that he pumped the throttle and was able to restore limited power; however, the power level was not enough to maintain flight. The aircraft settled onto the ground, traveling upslope on a hill, and hit several small trees which sheared off the left landing gear. A post crash fire consumed the aircraft. Examination of the aircraft revealed that all engine accessories were destroyed and could not be functionally tested. No internal abnormality was noted on the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68871
- Reported as
- Helio HT-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1704
- Airframe hours
- 1,081
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-GA16, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Willow Springs Ranch
- Registered owner
- Rainbow Leasing, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 15, 1987 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Oracle, AZ
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 848 total · 162 in this make and model · 572 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.