Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wichita, Kansas 67220
Saturday, November 14, 1998 11:15 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A Cessna 182F impacted terrain while towing a glider on initial climb out from a private airstrip. The glider pilot reported that the tow plane pilot had taxied to and from an overhead fuel tank for refueling the aircraft; the engine was then started 30-40 minutes later for departure. The glider pilot stated that at an altitude of 100-150 feet, there was an audible drop in engine noise. In describing his fuelling procedures, the glider pilot stated that he had tried to open a petcock valve at the bottom of the overhead tank but found it difficult to turn and attempted to drain from it only once. Trees which exhibited scarring on branches which were approximately 3 inches in diameter along with the aircraft's left wingtip were noted to be 36 feet northeast of the main wreckage. The left wing's leading edge had a 4 inch wide impression located 4 feet outboard from the its wing root. Approximately 4 oz of water from the left wing tank, 21-1/2 oz of water from the right wing tank and 4-1/2 oz of water from the carburetor bowl was found. The left and right fuel screens were unobstructed. The fuel selector was at the 'BOTH' position. Samples from the fuel tank showed the presence of water when the tank sump, fuel line sump and fuel hose were drained. The fuel level within the fuel storage tank was estimated to be 1/4 full. The internal wall of the tank was rusted. There was a petcock on the bottom of the tank along with a clear fuel sump drain inline with the hose.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and contaminated fuel supply.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/14/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | WICHITA |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67220 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| 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 | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1054 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 700 |
| 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) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| 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) | 1714 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 14 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1115 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 21 2002 2:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\GIUV |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3240U |
| NTSB Number | CHI99FA029 |
| 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 | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 182F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18254640 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | Sep 26 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 2144 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WILLIAM C. SELBY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8830 S HYDRAULIC |
| Aircraft Owner City | WICHITA |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 67233 |
| 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 | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1115 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | Climb |
| 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 | 17R |
| Runway Length | 2640 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |