Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Felton, Minnesota 56536
Thursday, July 1, 1993 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED A RESTRICTED LANDING AREA RUNWAY FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING, AT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT PERFORMED A 180 DEGREE TURN TOWARD THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CARBURETOR FLOAT WITH MULTIPLE CRACKS IN IT. LIQUID EMERSION OF THE FLOAT REVEALED LIQUID PENETRATION INTO THE FLOAT. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 21 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A CRACKED CARBURETOR FLOAT, FUEL STARVATION, AND THE FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FELTON
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56536
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID FAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 661
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1649
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50252
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 N1841A
NTSB Number CHI93LA245
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-1735
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3334
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALDEN BRENDEMUHL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 31
Aircraft Owner City FELTON
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56536
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALDEN BRENDEMUHL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 31
Operator City FELTON
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56536
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 1928
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --