ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231931
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| Date: | Saturday 4 January 2020 |
| Time: | 10:10 LT |
| Type: | TM-1 Thunder Mustang |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N151WR |
| MSN: | 24 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2001 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Santa Clarita, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY) |
| Los Angeles-Van Nuys Airport, CA (VNY/KVNY) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot departed for flight in an amateur-built experimental airplane. A few minutes after takeoff, the pilot made a distress call to the airport tower controller stating a loss of engine power and a cockpit visibility issue. A witness observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude with smoke trailing from the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane struck a tree and impacted terrain in a grassy field located in the median of an interstate’s off-ramp, destroying the airplane.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed damage that was consistent with detonation. One cylinder had material deformation that had burnt through the crankcase. Other cylinders had varying degrees of material deformation on their piston faces and cylinder heads, and the piston faces, and cylinder heads were absent of any carbon buildup. During the forced landing, the hole in the crankcase would have leaked coolant and oil, creating smoke and limiting the visibility from the cockpit, which likely would have prevented the pilot from seeing and avoiding the tree. The specific reason for the detonation could not be determined.
Probable Cause: Engine detonation that resulted in material deformation of the crankcase and led to engine failure and restricted cockpit visibility.
Sources:
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/pilot-killed-after-small-plane-crashes-erupts-in-flames-near-california-freeway
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-04/plane-crash-santa-clarita-freeway
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/1-dead-after-aircraft-crashes-near-freeway-santa-clarita-california-n1110446
https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:95:::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:04-JAN-20,SANTA%20CLARITA,N151WR
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=151WR
________________________
https://flightaware.com/photos/view/1654118-56e2f447c13aca5d39c364080fbe21919fa99309/aircrafttype/TM1 (photo)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Location
Media:
DEADLY PLANE CRASH: New video shows the fiery scene after a small plane crashed near a freeway in Santa Clarita, California, killing the only person on board, with eyewitnesses saying the plane hit a tree before coming down. https://t.co/H7JWuWowSX pic.twitter.com/aOhZ5vqP8x
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 4, 2020
BREAKING: Plane crash in Santa Clarita at NB 14’s Newhall Avenue offramp. Single occupant dead. pic.twitter.com/vIXXivUgWR
— Austin Dave (@AustinDave_) January 4, 2020
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1134625A small plane crashed and erupted in flames near a freeway in Santa Clarita, prompting a massive response from firefighters and the CHP. https://t.co/8CnJ7ra4In
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) January 4, 2020
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Jan-2020 20:31 | Iceman 29 | Added |
| 04-Jan-2020 20:33 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 04-Jan-2020 22:45 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 04-Jan-2020 23:56 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Location, Source] |
| 05-Jan-2020 05:34 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Jan-2020 10:31 | Pena_44 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 05-Jan-2020 12:49 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 05-Jan-2020 12:51 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 06-Jan-2020 15:58 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Mar-2022 19:39 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
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