Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamilton, Ohio 45014
Sunday, May 16, 1993 12:03 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE, SO HE DECIDED TO CHECK THE EFFECTS OF THE CHANGES. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE OIL TEMPERATURE WAS BETTER THAN THE DAY BEFORE, SO HE CONTINUED FLYING TOWARDS HIS HOME. HE STATED THAT EN ROUTE, THE ENGINE 'STARTED TO MISS.' HE STATED THAT HE CHECKED ALL THE ENGINE CONTROLS AND GAGES INCLUDING THE TWO HEADER FUEL PUMPS, AND THEY WERE ALL OPERATING NORMALLY. THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY LOST POWER AND HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AT ABOUT 20 TO 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE FUEL FILTER BETWEEN THE MAIN TANK AND THE HEADER FUEL TANK WAS CONTAMINATED WITH FIBERGLASS DUST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE FUEL FILTER, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSEQUENT LOSS ON ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTIAN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD, WHICH RESULTED ON AN INADVERTENT STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1203
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAMILTON
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45014
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1148 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID LUK
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 3500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 703
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50689
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 N32T
NTSB Number BFO93LA089
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MEADOR
Aircraft Model DRAGONFLY SP
Aircraft Series Identifier DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1329
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 Apr 1 1993 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 WILLIAM R MEADOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2031 MILLVILLE-SHANDON RD
Aircraft Owner City HAMILTON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45013
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM R MEADOR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2031 MILLVILLE SHANDON RD
Operator City HAMILTON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45013
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HAO
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 --