Main Prairie Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dixon, California 95620
Friday, October 13, 1995 18:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go pattern operations and the engine sputtered and lost power in the initial climb. The aircraft's altitude was insufficient to return to the runway and the pilot landed in a corn field, damaging the fuselage and wings. On-scene investigation revealed that there was 2-1/2 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank and 3-1/2 gallons in the left wing tank. No water contamination was detected when the gascolator and fuel tanks were inspected. When the carburetor was opened, a small amount of debris was noted in the bowl. The individual debris particles were large enough to obstruct the flow of fuel to the main jet. Further inspection revealed there was a fragment of debris in the orifice of the main jet blocking it about 60 to 70 percent.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel starvation due to debris blocking the carburetor main jet.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DIXON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95620
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MAIN PRAIRIE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q33
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 98
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1701 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID SUU
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1773
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1782V
NTSB Number LAX96LA010
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 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 13967
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 28 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL W. BINGHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 915 PARKGREEN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DIXON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95620
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Q33
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 32
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --