Muscatine Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Muscatine, Iowa 52761
Sunday, August 21, 1994 9:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT BUT THE ENGINE LOST MORE POWER AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND ON A GRAVEL ROAD. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE ROAD WHEN HE NOTICED A VEHICLE ON THE ROAD THAT WAS COMING TOWARD HIM. HE SAID HE DECIDED TO LAND ONTO A SOY BEAN FIELD NEXT TO THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AS IT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIELD. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE'S NUMBER FOUR INTAKE PIPE WAS NOT SECURELY FASTENED TO THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOOSE INTAKE MANIFOLD PIPE ON THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WHICH RESULTED FROM IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE BUILDER/PILOT IMPROPERLY INSTALLING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PIPE AND THE ALTERNATE LANDING AREA'S HIGH VEGETATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MUSCATINE
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52761
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 MUSCATINE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MUT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 40
Airport Elevation 547
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 931 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID MLI
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1212
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1136
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79GJ
NTSB Number CHI94LA295
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 SCHREIBER-STITTS
Aircraft Model SA-3B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-3B
Aircraft Serial Number 151
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 133
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L SCHREIBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2664 NORTHWOOD CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City MUSCATINE
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52761
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT L SCHREIBER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2664 NORTHWOOD CIRCLE
Operator City MUSCATINE
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 52761
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 845
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Takeoff
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 --