Shelby County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alabaster, Alabama 35007
Sunday, September 25, 1994 14:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED THROUGH 100 FEET, THE PILOT WATCHED THE ENGINE RPM DROP FROM 2360 TO 1700. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED, THE PILOT LOWERED FULL FLAPS AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED INVERTED. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION, WATER WAS DISCOVERED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THE CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY THROUGH ALL POWER RANGES DURING THE FUNCTIONAL CHECK. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE POSITION OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RAMP PREVENTED HIM FROM SUMPING THE FUEL SYSTEM PROPERLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SUMP THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ALABASTER
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35007
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 21A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 584
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) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 1750
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1370
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2830U
NTSB Number ATL94LA177
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier 172D
Aircraft Serial Number 17250430
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4600
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOOD, RICHARD G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3132 SPRUCE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35226
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 21A
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1405
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 21A
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 33
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --