- Date
- August 26, 1989, 12:26 local (19:26 UTC)
- Place
- Hawthorne, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N59466Ryan ST3KR
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890826031889A
- Case key
- 26485
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
Oil starvation of the engine due to the pilot's failure to turn the oil tank supply valve on prior to flight.
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
In the traffic pattern during an airshow the engine began to run rough and the pilot detected a hot oil smell. Shortly thereafter, the engine seized and the pilot landed short of the runway in a graded construction area. An FAA inspector monitoring the airshow arrived immediately after the accident and found the proper quantity of oil in the tank and noted the oil was cold to the touch. Detailed examination of the engine revealed extensive heat signatures, galling of the front bearing and metal particles distributed in the oil sump; all characteristics of oil starvation. The oil passages and oil pump were normal. Examination of the oil tank revealed that it was equipped with an oil shut off valve. The valve is normally turned off after every flight. The pilot stated that he is sure he turned the valve on prior to the flight, however, the position of the valve was not documented at the accident site and the pre impact position could not be established with certainty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59466
- Reported as
- Ryan ST3KR
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1604
- Airframe hours
- 1,548
- Engine
- Kinner R-55, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Steven Krattiger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 27, 1988 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- HHR
- Destination
- HHR
- Airport
- HHR · Hawthorne Muni, runway 25, 4,956 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 536 total · 106 in this make and model · 497 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HHR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.