Lake Norman Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mooresville, North Carolina 28115
Saturday, June 12, 1993 10:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE FLEW SEVERAL MINUTES AROUND THE LOCAL AREA AND RETURNED TO LAKE NORMAN AIRPORT FOR A FULL STOP LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CLIMB OUT FOR ANOTHER APPROACH. DURING THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S EFFORTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED; THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE FUEL SYSTEM EXAMINATION REVEALED 'HAIR LIKE' MATERIALS, AND 'SAND LIKE' DEBRIS BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE GASCOLATOR WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW. AFTER THE DEBRIS WAS REMOVED, FUEL FLOWED TO THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS LEFT THE FUEL SYSTEM OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED TIME DURING REBUILDING OF THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR MAINTENANCE PRACTICES DURING THE REBUILDING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH ALLOWED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BECOME CONTAMINATED AND RESULTED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION OF THE ENGINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MOORESVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28115
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE NORMAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 14A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 800
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1350
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2083
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1619D
NTSB Number ATL93LA109
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 170
Aircraft Series Identifier 170
Aircraft Serial Number 20261
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jan 10 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 2196
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SANDOVAL, REGINALD
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR BOX 308
Aircraft Owner City MOORESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28115
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 1000
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 Takeoff
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 14
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --