Zelmer Memorial Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmyra, Illinois 62674
Sunday, September 25, 1994 13:37 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN TO PICK A LANDING SITE. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, LOST ALTITUDE, AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 56 DEGREES AND THE DEW POINT WAS 55 DEGREES. CARBURETOR HEATING WAS NOT INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots's inadvertently stalled the airplane while maneuvering to land. Factors were the loss of engine power due to carburetor ice, carburetor icing conditions, and the unavailability of carburetor heat.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1337
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PALMYRA
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62674
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 ZELMER MEMORIAL AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5K1
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 660
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID ALN
Elevation of weather observation facility 545
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1612
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1548
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 N4592M
NTSB Number CHI94DEV02
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 THOMAS E. GEORGES
Aircraft Model Z-MAX
Aircraft Series Identifier Z-MAX
Aircraft Serial Number 459
Certified Max Gross Weight 560
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 Jun 3 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 67
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS E. GEORGES
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 2 BOX 628
Aircraft Owner City EDINBURG
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62531
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1337
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City EDINBURG
Destination State IL
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 36
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 32
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --