Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37133
Thursday, July 29, 1993 14:31 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS RETURNING HOME WHEN HE REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT INFORMED THE TOWER CONTROLLER OF HIS POSITION AND STATED HIS INTENTIONS TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY. AS THE FLIGHT GOT CLOSE TO THE GROUND, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY. NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM N850JW. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR COMPONENT FAILURE. THE CARBURETOR HEAT LEVER WAS IN THE COLD POSITION WHEN EXAMINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. A REVIEW OF CURRENT WEATHER DATA REVEALED CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1431
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MURFREESBORO
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37133
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 MURFREESBORO MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MBT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 615
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1430 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MQY
Elevation of weather observation facility 534
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
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 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) 1413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N850JW
NTSB Number ATL93LA137
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 WARD
Aircraft Model LONG EZE
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG EZE
Aircraft Serial Number 850
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 31 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 550
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WARD, JAMES W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5424 FREDRICKSBURG
Aircraft Owner City NASHVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37215
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 No
Departure Airport Code MQY
Departure City SMYRNA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MQY
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 36
Runway Length 3900
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --