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LAX90LA272

1990-08-01 · VICTORVILLE, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VCV

Current FAA registration · N1718M

Make / Model
STINSON L-5
Engine
LYCOMING 0-435A/0-435C (190 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19770725
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A12060

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE OIL GAUGE LINE 'B' NUT BACKED OFF, AND THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.

Factual narrative

WHILE EN ROUTE TO SANTA PAULA AIRPORT OVER A DESERT AREA, THE PILOT FELT A HOT OIL SPRAY EMANATING FROM BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE ELECTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE LANDING SITE SELECTED WAS NEAR HIGH TRANSMISSION WIRES, WHICH HE PROBABLY DID NOT SEE UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT PULLED THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE UP TO CROSS OVER THE TOP OF THE WIRES AND ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO RAPIDLY DECAY. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE LINE 'B' NUT HAD BACKED OFF. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90LA272.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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