Local News in Brief : East County : Oil Problem Suspected in Nov. 3 Plane Crash
The engine of a small plane that crashed Nov. 3 in a remote part of the county showed signs of heat and friction damage that may be associated with low oil levels, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator said Tuesday.
“We basically tore the engine apart to look for signs of any possible damage or anything unusual,” NTSB investigator Russ Leighton said. “We found that the engine exhibited signs of heat and friction damage, usually associated with an oil starvation.”
Leighton said, however, that the NTSB has not yet determined what caused the Piper PA-28 Arrow to crash in the east county foothills, killing the pilot and critically injuring the passenger.
Experienced civilian pilots Calvin Johnson, 61, of Irvine and Tim Fredrich, 29, of Orange took off from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station on a routine training flight bound for Chino. They sent a Mayday signal when they were about 3 miles east of Irvine Lake. Johnson was killed.
Leighton said he must still interview witnesses and others associated with the maintenance of the aircraft before sending his findings to Washington for final determination of the cause.
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