# NTSB LAX97LA192: Crosby GEE BEE Sportster, N11044, Watsonville, CA, May 23, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 23, 1997, 15:38 local (22:38 UTC) - Place: Watsonville, CA - Coordinates: 36.949756, -121.72068 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9498&lon=-121.7207&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29798 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA192 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29798/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA192 ## Probable cause an unknown failure of the engine oil system, which resulted in loss of oil and a seized engine. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - lubricating system - undetermined (cause) - fluid,oil - loss,total (cause) - miscellaneous,engine - seized (cause) - propeller system/drive assembly - separation - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing ## Analysis While the pilot was attempting to land, the engine lost power, and the pilot made a forced landing in a farm field. The pilot stated that he saw something depart the engine and hit the right wing. The right wing dipped and contacted the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest inverted. On-scene examination of the aircraft revealed that the belly of the fuselage was covered in oil. No oil was found in the engine, and the engine was seized. The actual cause of the loss of oil was not determined due to the separation of the engine from the airframe. The object that the pilot saw departing from the engine was the propeller, which hit the trailing edge of the right wing, subsequently causing the wing to dip and contact the ground. ## Factual narrative On May 23, 1997, at 1538 hours Pacific daylight standard time, a Crosby Gee Bee Sportster, N11044, lost engine power and attempted a forced landing in an open farm field 2.5 miles from the Watsonville, California, airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the commercial instrument rated pilot/owner, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The flight originated from the Sacramento, California, airport at 1330, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight. The pilot stated that he arrived at the Watsonville airport along with numerous other aircraft and made one pass down the runway, but was unable to land due to a slower landing aircraft. He stated that he went around and re-entered the downwind for landing. ". . .My engine slowed to idle and I attempted an off airport landing. At about 50 [feet] agl the engine seized and rolled the aircraft to the right." The right wing made contacted the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled. In an interview with an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the San Jose, California, Flight Standards District Office, the pilot stated that the he climbed to approximately 1,000 feet agl on a tight downwind for the airport. The tower controller asked if he could widen his downwind to allow a Bonanza to land ahead of him. The pilot stated that he complied with the request and checked his airspeed which had dropped to 95 knots. He attempted to add power, but the engine went to idle. The pilot reported that he knew he was in trouble and had to land immediately. He reported that he "felt a jolt and saw something depart the engine" and hit the right wing. He thought it was a cylinder; however, postcrash investigation revealed that the object that had departed the airplane was the propeller. At the same instant that he saw the object depart the aircraft, the right wing dipped down and contacted the ground. The aircraft bounced once, contacted the ground again in a right wing low attitude, and flipped over onto its back. The engine was torn from the aircraft on impact and came to rest under the right wing of the airplane. The FAA inspector found that the belly of the fuselage was covered with oil and that no oil was found in the engine. The reason for the loss of oil was not determined due to the separation of the engine from the airframe. The FAA inspector also reported that the crankshaft did not break during the in-flight separation of the propeller. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N11044](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11044-2007-04-25), registration cancelled 2007-04-25, S/N X-9, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Crosby GEE BEE SPORTSTER (GEE BEE SP) - Registry model: [Crosby Scott E GEE BEE SPORTSTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/crosby-scott-e-gee-bee-sportster) (registry code 0565245) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Warner SCARAB series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/warner-scarab-series) (registry code 64502, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: X-9 - Airframe hours: 50 - Engines: Warner SS 50 145 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James E. Teel - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 19, 1997, 9 hours before - Departed: SAC, SACRAMENTO, CA - Destination: WVI - Airport: WVI, Watsonville Muni, runway 20, 4,500 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 5,137 total, 9 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 10 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MRY, 21 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970523011819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970523011819A), May 23, 1997: Amtr GEEBEESPORT, Watsonville, CA, Substantial damage. Crashed in a field during airshow. (.4)the captain's decision to continue the approach contrary to Continental airlines (coa) standard operating procedures… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.