Cape May County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cape May, New Jersey 08251
Wednesday, July 21, 1993 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE FLIGHT, THE PILOT STARTED THE ENGINE BY USING THE AUXILIARY (AUX) FUEL TANK. HE ESTIMATED THERE WAS ABOUT 2 GAL OF FUEL IN THE AUX TANK AND 20 TO 22 GAL IN THE MAIN TANK. HE INTENDED TO MOVE THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE MAIN TANK FOR TAKEOFF, BUT SAID HE WAS DISTRACTED WHEN ANOTHER AIRCRAFT TAXIED IN FRONT OF HIM, THOUGH HE WAS USING A CHECKLIST. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, AT ABOUT 75 TO 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE MAIN TANK POSITION, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART. THE PILOT STARTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT BY NOT ASSURING THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE PROPER POSITION FOR TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE PILOT'S DISTRACTION (DIVERTED ATTENTION) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CAPE MAY
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08251
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 CAPE MAY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WWD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 435
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50403
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 N522EB
NTSB Number BFO93LA133
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 BEATTY
Aircraft Model GLASAIR SH-2
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASAIR SH
Aircraft Serial Number 522
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Oct 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 217
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EUGENE J. BEATTY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 26 EAST WILDE AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City VILLAS
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08251
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EUGENE J. BEATTY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 26 EAST WILD AVE
Operator City VILLAS
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08251
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 WWD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code WWD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 32
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --