Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clayton, Alabama 36016
Thursday, July 1, 1993 9:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED TO APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE PILOT WAS ISSUED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. HIS LAST REPORTED ALTITUDE WAS 900 FT. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A LARGE WOODED AREA APRX 5 MI FROM THE CLAYTON AIRPORT. EXAMINATION AND TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING RICH. THE CARBURETOR HOUSING BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND COULD BE TURNED BY HAND. FUEL LEAKED FROM THE HOUSING DURING THE TEST RUN. THE CARBURETOR THROTTLE SHAFT AND BUSHINGS SHOWED SIGNS OF EXTENSIVE WEAR, AND WERE LOOSE IN THE HOUSING. THE FLOAT PENDULUM WAS NOT EVEN. AIRPLANE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED, INSPECTED, AND REPAIRED APRX 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE CARBURETOR BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CLAYTON
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36016
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 852 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID CSG
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 674
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1232
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5473S
NTSB Number ATL93FA120
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7125127
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Feb 8 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73
Airframe Hours 3459
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HANSON, ROBERT J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 205 CORAL WAY RT 5
Aircraft Owner City ENTERPRISE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36330
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KAISER, JAMES R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 244 DALLAS RD.
Operator City WILLOW GROVE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19090
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 No
Departure Airport Code EDN
Departure City ENTERPRISE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FAY
Destination City FAYETTEVILLE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --