Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Edgewood, Texas 75117
Wednesday, July 1, 1998 9:23 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness observed the airplane taxi out and takeoff on runway 13. The witness reported that there were no unusual sounds coming from the engine. Two other witnesses north of the airport reported that they heard the airplane's engine 'sputtering.' The airplane was flying low over the trees at an altitude of approximately 50 to 60 feet above the ground. Both witnesses reported that prior to the airplane starting a turn toward the approach end of runway 13, the engine 'stop[ped].' As the airplane started to turn toward the runway, it 'took a nose dive' and impacted the ground. The fuel line from the gascolator to the carburetor was found fractured and separated from its fitting, which was still attached to the gascolator. An examination of the fuel line by an NTSB metallurgist revealed that, 'the fuel line separated through the flexible hose as a result of extensive wear.' According to entries in maintenance records, the aircraft's last annual inspection was completed on December 1, 1997, about 21.3 hours prior to the accident. Continuity was established to all flight controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain minimum required airspeed for flight. Factors were the worn fuel line, which separated, and the failure of the maintenance personnel to locate the worn fuel line during the annual inspection.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/1/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 923 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | EDGEWOOD |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75117 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1423 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 1 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 940 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9689A |
| NTSB Number | FTW98FA291 |
| 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 | 140A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 140A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15410 |
| 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 | Dec 1 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 21 |
| Airframe Hours | 3708 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ERNEST M. DEPUE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 150 |
| Aircraft Owner City | ELMO |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75118 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 1TA7 |
| Departure City | CANTON |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 920 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HQZ |
| Destination City | MESQUITE |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| 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 | -- |