Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eufaula, Alabama 36027
Sunday, April 11, 1999 14:14 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While descending to land at the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot was able to maintain some engine power by moving the throttle in and out. While attempting a forced landing on a road, the flight encountered a truck and had to pull up. The right wing collided with power lines, the airplane crashed onto the road, slid off the road, and collided with trees. The pilot estimated there was 10 gallons of fuel remaining after the accident. Examination of the carburetor after the accident showed the inlet fuel screen was blocked about 50 percent with fiberglass debris, however there was no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction of the carburetor. The engine was operated to full power after the accident using the accident carburetor and with the carburetor fuel inlet screen blocked 50 percent. There was no evidence of failure or malfunction of the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1414
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EUFAULA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36027
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID DHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 401
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 454
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N250GH
NTSB Number MIA99LA122
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Harris
Aircraft Model VARI-EZE
Aircraft Series Identifier VARI-EZE
Aircraft Serial Number 250GH
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 193
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VALERIE K. HARRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1301 HERRING DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City COVINGTON
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38019
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M04
Departure City COVINGTON
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EUF
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --