Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laurel, Maryland 20707
Tuesady, August 9, 1994 18:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A FLIGHT TO TEST THE OPERATION EFFICIENCY OF THE PROPELLER WHICH HE PLANNED TO REPLACE. HE INTENDED TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THE FLIGHT FROM TAKEOFF THROUGH POSITIONING FOR FINAL LEG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'ON FINAL APPROACH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SPUTTERED TO A STOP. UPON NOTICING TH FALTERING (ENGINE) I IMMEDIATELY GAVE IT FULL CHOKE AND PULLED BACK THE THROTTLE BACK THE THROTTLE IN ORDER TO ENRICH THE FUEL FLOW. I DID THIS IN CASE I HAD A FUEL PROBLEM. THIS PROCEDURE HAD NO EFFECT, THE ENGINE COASTED TO A COMPLETE STOP. I THEN PUT THE THROTTLE IN A START POSITION AND CLOSED THE CHOKE TO INITIATE A NORMAL WARM ENGINE START. I PRESSED THE ELECTRIC STARTER BUTTON. THE ENGINE TURNED OVER BUT GAVE NO INDICATION OF STARTING.' THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE THE DISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE ROOF OF HOUSE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE CAPACITOR DISCHARGE UNIT OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM HAD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEM CAPACITOR DISCHARGE UNIT WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF TOTAL ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAUREL
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20707
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1321
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4287R
NTSB Number BFO94LA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HANKINS/DICKERSON
Aircraft Model CLIPPED WINGS II
Aircraft Series Identifier CLIPPED WI
Aircraft Serial Number CW0611
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 9 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 111
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HANKINS/DICKERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 342 DAMEROM STREET SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City LAUREL
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20708
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HANKINS/DICKERSON
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --