Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mobile, Alabama 36695
Saturday, July 20, 1991 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD TAXIED ON THE RUNWAY, AT HIGH SPEED, SEVERAL TIMES. A TAKEOFF WAS THEN MADE, AND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 FEET, ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, ENTERED A NOSE DIVE, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN POSITION. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT, WHO WAS NOT A LICENSED MECHANIC, HAD RECENTLY REPLACED THE CARBURETOR. THE FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN AUTOMOTIVE TYPE FUEL, AND NO EVIDENCE OF A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE FOR THE USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL COULD BE FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ROTATIONAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, AND THE THROTTLE WAS FOUND IN THE IDLE POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT STALL DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOBILE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36695
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 200
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1720 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID MOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3700
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 800
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) 1911
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45850
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N96802
NTSB Number ATL91FA138
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 9102
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEAN, EDWIN A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9075 JOHNSON RD.
Aircraft Owner City MOBILE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36695
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BEAN, EDWIN A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9075 JOHNSON RD.
Operator City MOBILE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36695
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 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
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 18
Runway Length 1400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --