Austin Straubel Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Green Bay, Wisconsin 54303
Thursday, April 11, 1991 10:27 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING IN ATTITUDES THAT IMPOSED NEGATIVE 'G' FORCES ON THE AIRFRAME WHEN ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS INITIATED TO A PAVED ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A WIRE ON APPROACH AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A DITCH. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PICKUP LINE WAS CAPABLE OF UNPORTING WITH LOW FUEL LEVEL DURING NEGATIVE 'G' MANEUVERS. TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY WAS 34.5 GALLONS. APPROXIMATELY 10 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE PRESENT WHEN THE ENGINE POWER FAILURE OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNPORTING OF THE FUEL PICK UP LINE IN FUEL TANK DURING ABRUPT OR NEGATIVE 'G' MANEUVERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1027
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GREEN BAY
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54303
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AUSTIN STRAUBEL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GRB
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 695
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 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 190
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43273
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1490
NTSB Number CHI91DEP04
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 BRAULT GLASAIR
Aircraft Model SH2F
Aircraft Series Identifier SH2F
Aircraft Serial Number 610
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 341
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. G. BRAULT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3039 BAY VIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City GREEN BAY
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54311
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name R. G. BRAULT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3039 BAY VIEW DR.
Operator City GREEN BAY
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 54311
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 1000
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 7699
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --