Mountain Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Georgia 30528
Saturday, June 26, 1993 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TAKING OFF ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE PILOT ROTATED, RAISED THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE INITIALLY SOUNDED STRONG, THEN A GRADUAL DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER WAS HEARD. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND CARBURETOR. AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC WITH INSPECTION AUTHORITY REPORTED THAT CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED, ACCORDING TO CARBURETOR ICING CHARTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. FACTORS WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE TREES LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE AIRSTRIP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CLEVELAND
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30528
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 MOUNTAIN AIR PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 83A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 350
Airport Elevation 1438
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) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID AHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 807
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3100
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 530
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52760
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 N3255K
NTSB Number ATL93LA117
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 TEMCO
Aircraft Model GC-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier GC-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 1248
Certified Max Gross Weight 1710
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 3021
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FERGUSON, ROBERT C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4312 LAKE FOREST DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City OAKWOOD
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30566
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FERGUSON, ROBERT C.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4312 LAKE FOREST DRIVE
Operator City OAKWOOD
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30566
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
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 35
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --