Yuma International Airpor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuma, Arizona 85364
Saturday, October 16, 1993 10:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOOSING RPM AND THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTERING AND OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE BEGIN A LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE THEN STALLED AND SPUN INTO A PARKING LOT FROM ABOUT 120 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION; HOWEVER, CORROSION AND DIRT WERE FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain adequate airspeed and subsequent inadvertent stall while maneuvering the airplane. Contamination of the fuel in the carburetor that produced a partial power loss was a factor in the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City YUMA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85364
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport YUMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YUM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 213
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID YUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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) 1455
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1140
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94981
NTSB Number LAX94LA015
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC12-D
Aircraft Series Identifier BC12-D
Aircraft Serial Number 9381
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 197
Airframe Hours 1974
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES W. WARDELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1290 D MAUNAKEN ST. #258
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96817
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES W. WARDELL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1290 D MAUNAKEN ST. #258
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96817
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 1048
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TUS
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --