Aerospatiale TB-21 N28LR

Summary

On 22 June 1989 at about 21:11 local time, a Aerospatiale TB-21 registered N28LR was involved in an accident near Newhall, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 June 1989 at 21:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Newhall, California, United States

Nearest airport

Van Nuys (VNY)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aerospatiale TB-21

Registration

N28LR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sacramento → Van Nuys

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA225

4 people died.

FUEL CONTAMINATION, DUE TO THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM, AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: INADEQUATE TRANSITION TRAINING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RPRTD TO THE TOWER CTLR THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING ENG PROBLEMS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE RPRTD THAT THE ENG HAD 'QUIT'. AS THE PLT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LNDG, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TRANSMISSION WIRE & CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONTAMINANTS IN THE AIRFRAME & ENG FUEL SYSTEMS. RPRTDLY, THE PLT HAD NEVER DRAINED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE FILTER, NOR WAS HE TOLD ABT THE DRAIN WHEN HE WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE MFG SALES REP. THE FUEL SYSTEM HAD BEEN CHECKED FOR CONTAMINANTS BY AN FBO BEFORE THE PLT DEPD ON THE ACDNT FLT. THE FUEL SERVO WAS CLEANED & THE REINSTALLING MECH DRAINED ABT 1/2 GAL OF FUEL. HE FOUND NO CONTAMINANTS, BUT HE DID NOT ENDOSCOPE THE TANKS AS RQRD BY THE MAINT MANUAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.