Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Albert Whitted Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
Sunday, April 26, 1998 12:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Before takeoff, the pilot performed an engine run-up and noted after removing carburetor heat, that the handle was 'loose.' During the initial climb, the engine experienced a partial loss of power and black smoke was noted coming from the exhaust. While maneuvering to return, the airplane stalled and crashed into water. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failure or malfunction. The carburetor heat control cable was found to be separated from the carburetor heat control arm assembly. Disassembly of the carburetor revealed evidence of previous fuel leakage from the carburetor bowl vent which would introduce extra fuel into the air induction system. Also, the adjustment tab of the metal float and the head of the float needle valve were determined to be worn. The carburetor was installed on the engine on June 3, 1996, and had accumulated 1,246 hours since installation at the time of the accident. The accepted procedure after removing carburetor heat is to note that the engine rpm's increase either to the setting before the heat was applied, or to a greater rpm is carburetor ice was present. The worn condition of the carburetor was known for the past 7 years, according to the pilot.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The intentional operation of the airplane by the pilot and the company/operator with the known deficiencies in equipment (worn carburetor). Also, the poor preflight planning by the pilot for his failure to recognize that the carburetor heat control was inadvertently activated on takeoff and his inadvertent stall of the airplane while turning to reverse direction. Contributing to the accident was the separation of the carburetor heat control cable.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/26/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1215 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | ST. PETERSBURG |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33701 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | ALBERT WHITTED |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SPG |
| 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 | 8 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1217 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SPG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 8 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| 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 | 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) | 809 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 26 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1315 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:10AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N225NY |
| NTSB Number | MIA98LA144 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-18 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-18 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-2266 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 29 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 67 |
| Airframe Hours | 13977 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THOMAS W. MERRIFIELD |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4178 49TH AVE. SOUTH |
| Aircraft Owner City | ST. PETERSBURG |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33711 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | ADVERTISING AIR FORCE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SPG |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1212 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2865 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |