DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. THE ENGINE THEN SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING WHERE THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL WOODEN CRATES SHORT OF THE INTENDED LDG AREA. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL PRESENT. HOWEVER, NO EVIDENCE OF BEARING OVERHEAT WAS FOUND. THE ENGINE CASE WAS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND DIRTY AND SOOTED. EXAM OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED A STICKING FLOAT. THE PILOT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD SPENT FOUR HOURS PREPARING THE AIRCRAFT FOR FLIGHT. HE SAID HE STILL WAS RELUCTANT TO FLY BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER/MANUFACTURER ENCOURAGED HIM TO TRY. THE FLIGHT LASTED ONLY A FEW MINUTES.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE..MISJUDGED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

FLUID,OIL..PRESSURE TOO LOW

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT..INADEQUATE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Index for Jun1988 | Index of months