- Date
- March 10, 1990, 15:16 local (23:16 UTC)
- Place
- Borego Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5655LAmerican AA-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900310003789A
- Case key
- 26618
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
Improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and altitude, which resulted in a stall/mush into rising mountainous terrain. Factors related to the accident were: the terrain and weather conditions, and failure of the engine to provide full power, due to improper maintenance and subsequent wear of the cam lobes & tappets.
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 acft had flown 228 hrs, since the eng was overhauled. The overhaul was done by the owners & signed off by an a & p mech. Drg the overhaul, the cam shaft was ground & the tappets resurfaced. The Lycoming o/h manual stated that if the cam shaft was replaced or reground, new tappets must be installed to prevent severe wear & spalling of the cam lobes & tappet bodies. Exam of the eng revealed that the cam lobes & tappets for the #1 & #2 cyls were severely spalled & worn down to about half the normal profile. Lyc tech reps said the cam lobe wear would change the duration & amount of valve action, reducing the power output ability. Otr discrepancies were found during the exam of the eng. After depg, the acft climbed toward the mtns. The trrn rise was about 470 ft/mi & the acft was capable of climbing at about 350 ft/mi. Witnesses saw the acft apch the mtn ridge low & slow, then turn left as it began a dscnt to the gnd. High winds were blowing across the ridge at the time & clouds topped the mtns.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5655L
- Reported as
- American AA-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA1-0055
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Puffer, Gene L.
- Departed
- L08 · Borego Springs, CA
- Destination
- SEE · El Cajon, 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
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,201 total · 100 in this make and model · 1,052 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °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.