Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Utica, Nebraska 68456
Saturday, June 25, 1994 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/AIRPLANE BUILDER STATED THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 3,000 FEET MSL WHEN THE ENGINE '...WENT TO IDLE...' AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED HE SET THE AIRPLANE UP FOR ITS 'BEST GLIDE' AIRSPEED AND SELECTED A FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THE FIELDS WITHIN RANGE WERE CORN FIELDS, SO HE PICKED ONE WITH THE ROWS GOING INTO THE WIND, AND LANDED. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN THE 4 FOOT HIGH CORN AND SOFT DIRT, AND FLIPPED OVER, COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CARBURETOR FLOAT VALVE STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR FLOAT VALVE. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE HIGH VEGETATION AT THE LANDING SITE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City UTICA
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68456
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
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 1456 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID LNK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1585
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 38
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1825
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N524WM
NTSB Number CHI94DCJ02
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 MUELLER
Aircraft Model Q2
Aircraft Series Identifier Q2
Aircraft Serial Number 2758
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 23
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. MUELLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5100 ROSEBRIAR COURT
Aircraft Owner City LINCOLN
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68516
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM C. MUELLER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5100 ROSEBRIAR COURT
Operator City LINCOLN
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68516
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 JYR
Departure City YORK
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LNK
Destination City LINCOLN
Destination State NE
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --