Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Horseshoe Bend Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas 72512
Thursday, September 11, 1997 10:16 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After refueling an empty right fuel tank, the airplane commenced a takeoff roll, and about 400 feet down the runway, the engine 'quit', and the takeoff was aborted. Afterwards, the pilot made several engine run ups and high speed taxis to diagnose the problem. With no problems detected, he attempted another takeoff, and climbing through 75 feet AGL the 'engine lost power' again. The pilot made a 'hard left turn' to avoid electrical wires, trees, and houses. The airplane then impacted down sloping terrain. Fuel samples were found to be clear and free of contaminants. After the accident, the pilot said that it was common to find mud wasp nests throughout the airframe, and that the right fuel tank had been empty for 3-4 weeks. He stated that he thinks that the fuel vent was blocked by a mud wasp nest. This would result in a vacuum effect because of the unoccupied space between the fuel and top of the tank. The vacuum effect would prevent fuel from entering the fuel lines and result in fuel starvation to the engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Fuel starvation due to partially blocked fuel vents. Factors were: the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane; the pilot's improper decision to continue operation of the airplane with known deficiencies; and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/11/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1016 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | HORSESHOE BEND |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72512 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | HORSESHOE BEND |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 6M21 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 120 |
| Airport Elevation | 770 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 950 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 95 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1364 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 71 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1217 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1275 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 11 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1110 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N800C |
| NTSB Number | FTW97LA344 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Stinson |
| Aircraft Model | 108-3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 108-3 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 108-3800 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Feb 17 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 41 |
| Airframe Hours | 1400 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EDGAR S. CAUSBIE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RT 1 BOX 198E |
| Aircraft Owner City | ASHFLAT |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72513 |
| 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 | N/A |
| 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 | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | WI10 |
| Destination City | WESTOSHA |
| Destination State | WI |
| 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 | 13 |
| Runway Length | 4350 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |