Mexico Farms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cumberland, Maryland 21501
Sunday, August 30, 1992 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND MADE SEVERAL GROUND RUNS AND POWER CHECKS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. DURING TAKEOFF AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TURNED TO AVOID A TREE LINE AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE THEN ENTERED A SPIN AND STRUCK THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION BY THE FAA FOUND RUST PARTICLES AND WATER IN THE FUEL TANK, FUEL FILTER BOWL, AND INLET FINGER SCREEN GOING INTO THE CARBURETOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN, FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO DETECT THE RUST PARTICLES AND WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CUMBERLAND
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21501
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEXICO FARMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1W3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 610
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 5000
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2269
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1554
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47036
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N103WK
NTSB Number NYC92LA184
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 WILLIAM C. KEILING
Aircraft Model PROBER PIXIE
Aircraft Series Identifier PROBER PIX
Aircraft Serial Number 10003
Certified Max Gross Weight 833
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 13
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. HOLBROOK
Aircraft Owner Street Address HUNT CLUB MANOR
Aircraft Owner City RIDGELY
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 26753
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM C. HOLBROOK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address HUNT CLUB MANOR
Operator City RIDGELY
Operator State WV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 26753
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 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 2100
Runway Width 90
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --