Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danville, Virginia 24540
Saturday, April 24, 1993 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER COMPLETING A 360 DEGREE TURN AND RETURNING TO LEVEL FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD AND STRUCK A TREE. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT THE NEEDLE VALVE WAS INTERMITTENTLY STICKING ON THE SEAT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SPRING WIRE CLIP ON THE NEEDLE VALVE WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN UP THE VALVE WHEN IT GOT STUCK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A STUCK CARBURETOR NEEDLE VALVE; SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, AND IMPACT WITH A TREE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DANVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24540
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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) 615
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1335
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50478
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22DD
NTSB Number NYC93LA091
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 HOMER DAVIS
Aircraft Model RV4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV4
Aircraft Serial Number 1650
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name H. DAN DAVIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 3 BOX 1240
Aircraft Owner City DANVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24540
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name H. DAN DAVIS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 3 BOX 1240
Operator City DANVILLE
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24540
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 DAN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code DAN
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight 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 --