Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Church Hill, Mississippi 39055
Thursday, February 6, 1992 14:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT TO DESCEND. HE DID NOT CLEAR ENGINE DURING IDLE POWER DESCENT FROM 2,500 FEET TO 700 FEET. WHEN HE LEVELED THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY COUGH AND SPUTTER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE LOADED UP DURING DESCENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR HIS ENGINE DURING DESCENT RESULTING IN THE SPARK PLUGS BECOMING FOULED WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHURCH HILL
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39055
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 1350 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID JAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 341
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 10
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 118
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45998
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88380
NTSB Number MIA92LA097
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 J3-C65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3-C65
Aircraft Serial Number 15998
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Sep 18 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 6228
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEWIS B. BLACKWELL III
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR2 BOX 244B
Aircraft Owner City CHURCH HILL
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LEWIS B. BLACKWELL III
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR2 BOX 244B
Operator City CHURCH HILL
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39055
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 HEZ
Departure City NATCHEZ
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Landing
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 --