- Date
- October 28, 1994, 13:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Searchlight, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3019GForney F-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 26, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941028036869A
- Case key
- 28972
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
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control by improperly compensating for the existing wind conditions. The leaking cylinder, the prevailing crosswind, the soft terrain, and the dirt bank were factors in this accident
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
During cruise flight, the engine developed an oil leak in the no. 1 cylinder causing a loss of oil pressure. The pilot said the loss of oil pressure was accompanied by engine vibration and loss of power. The pilot executed a precautionary landing to a state road. On touchdown, the pilot encountered a gust of wind. The airplane exited the road and collided with a white sand embankment. The pilot stated the winds were from 220 degrees at 15, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On October 28, 1994, at 1350 hours Pacific daylight time, a Forney F-1, N3019G, collided with the terrain during an emergency landing due to a loss of power 11 miles east of Searchlight, Nevada. The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules personal flight to North Las Vegas Air Terminal, Las Vegas, Nevada. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, at 1000 hours and landed at Kingman Airport, Kingman Arizona, at an undetermined time; the flight departed Kingman Airport at 1300 hours.
The pilot said in the aircraft accident report that while flying at 5,500 feet mean sea level (msl) the engine began to vibrate severely and then experienced a loss of power. The pilot reduced the engine power and checked the magnetos, fuel mixture control, the fuel valve position, and the primer, but without success. The engine continued to vibrate severely.
The pilot elected to execute an emergency landing on Nevada State Road 164. He said that on touchdown, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left, causing the airplane to turn to the left. He applied full right rudder, but without success. The airplane exited the road and the nose gear collapsed when it struck a "soft white sand embankment."
The pilot also indicated in the aircraft accident report that the surface winds were from 220 degrees (magnetic) at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector told National Transportation Safety Board investigators that he interviewed the pilot during the initial on-scene investigation. The pilot said that he was flying to North Las Vegas Air Terminal to participate in an "aircoupe" airplane fly-in.
When the flight was near Searchlight, Nevada, the engine developed an oil leak followed by a loss of oil pressure. The pilot elected to land on a street. During the landing flare, a "gust of wind" blew the airplane to the right side of the road and the airplane collided with the terrain.
The FAA inspector examined the airplane and found that the oil leak originated at the No. 1 cylinder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3019G
- Reported as
- Forney F-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5712
- Airframe hours
- 2,196
- Engine
- Continental C-90-F12, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sterline Zeiders
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 1994 · 154 hours before
- Departed
- IGM · Kingman, AZ
- Destination
- VGT · Las Vegas, NV
- Airport
- 1L3 · Searchlight
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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 479 total · 451 in this make and model · 409 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.