Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mattawa, Washington 99344
Wednesday, August 19, 1992 18:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FIFTEEN MINUTES INTO AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND BACKFIRING. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO A NEARBY AIRSTRIP AND EN ROUTE THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATING. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING THE CONVENTIONALLY GEARED AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AS IT ROLLED OUT ON SOFT TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE MAIN FUEL FILTER REVEALED DEBRIS WITHIN THE FILTER CARTRIDGE AND EVIDENCE OF RUST. LIKEWISE, AN EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR FUEL FILTER DISCLOSED SIMILAR INTERNAL DEBRIS BUILDUP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY THE OPERATOR. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MATTAWA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99344
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
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 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 232
Weather Observation Facility ID YKM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1095
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 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) 2587
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47312
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 N28951
NTSB Number SEA92LA184
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WSK PZL Mielec
Aircraft Model PZL-M-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PZL-M-18
Aircraft Serial Number 1Z007-15
Certified Max Gross Weight 10340
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 8 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 264
Airframe Hours 2770
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ESKILDSEN, B & N, MCMILLEN, W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 667
Aircraft Owner City CONNELL
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99326
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name B & R AERIAL CROP CARE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 193 AIRPORT LANE, BOX 667
Operator City CONNELL
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99326
Operator Code WZIG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
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 --