Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elgin, Oklahoma 73541
Wednesday, July 30, 1997 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he had fueled the airplane from his own 150 gallon tank, which had been idle for approximately 18 months. The pilot reported that he preflighted the airplane in the hangar before takeoff. He stated that the takeoff appeared normal until approximately '75 feet agl when the engine quit.' Also, he reported that he 'attempted to turn left back to a lane beside the runway, but he felt the airplane begin to stall and buffet.' He lowered the nose to gain speed and landed in some tree tops. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that 'the fuel in the airplane's fuel tank was dark and muddy looking.' The pilot reported (to the IIC) that 'he believes that the airplane's fuel was contaminated which caused his power failure.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel contamination, and the pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane. Trees in the emergency landing area were considered a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ELGIN
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73541
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
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 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID LAW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1110
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3300
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 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) 1143
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1621
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8332M
NTSB Number FTW97LA290
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 A150K
Aircraft Series Identifier A150K
Aircraft Serial Number A15000032
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Oct 10 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 2662
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT M. HUBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 297
Aircraft Owner City FLETCHER
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73541
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
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 Emergency landing
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 --