Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wampum, Pennsylvania 16157
Saturday, May 1, 1993 18:01 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 45 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING, AND DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A PLASTIC FUEL LINE HAD BEEN SAFETY WIRED AND THE WIRE WAS OVER TORQUED, CAUSING THE FUEL LINE TO SPLIT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT DURING INITIAL CLIMB FROM TAKE OFF, AIR ENTERED THE FUEL LINE, STARVING THE ENGINE OF FUEL. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER 14 CFR PART 103 AS AN ULTRALIGHT AND DID NOT HOLD ANY FAA CERTIFICATES. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHED OVER THE WEIGHT LIMITATION OF 254 POUNDS AS IMPOSED BY 14 CFR PART 103; THEREFORE, IT WAS DESIGNATED AN AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE OVERTORQUE OF A SAFETY WIRE ON A PLASTIC FUEL LINE, CAUSING THE LINE TO SPLIT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1801
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WAMPUM
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16157
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID YNG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1545
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50065
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number BFO93LA080
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 MCMILLIN
Aircraft Model FISHER 404
Aircraft Series Identifier FISHER 404
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES MCMILLIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD NO. 1
Aircraft Owner City WAMPUM
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 16157
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES MCMILLIN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RD NO. 1
Operator City WAMPUM
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 16157
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 1800
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 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 --