Oakland-Pontiac Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waterford, Michigan 48327
Friday, July 29, 1994 9:21 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON INITIAL VFR CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE DESCENT HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS BUT DOES NOT REMEMBER HIS EXACT PROCEDURES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A LAKE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SET TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS, AND ONLY A FEW TEASPOONS OF FUEL IN THE FUEL LINES BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES. ALL ACCESSORIES OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE ENGINE RAN ON A TEST STAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 921
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WATERFORD
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48327
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OAKLAND-PONTIAC AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 980
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 922 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 916
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N93572
NTSB Number CHI94LA249
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30
Aircraft Serial Number 74-30692
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOODEN AIRPLANE COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29201 TELEGRAPH SUITE 606
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WOODEN AIRPLANE COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 29201 TELEGRAPH SUITE 606
Operator City SOUTHFIELD
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48034
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTK
Departure City PONTIAC
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 920
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OSH
Destination City OSHKOSH
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27R
Runway Length 6200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --