Westerly State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westerly, Rhode Island 02891
Tuesady, August 6, 1991 7:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 300 FEET AGL. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT, HOWEVER, DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A DESCENT RATE AND THE PILOT CHANGED HER INTENDED FORCED LANDING AREA TO A STREET RATHER THAN IN FRONT OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL. ON SHORT FINAL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN FRONT OF THE TERMINAL. THE REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ENGINE FAILURE FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT MISJUDGING THE CLEARANCE OVER A FENCE DURING AN ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WESTERLY
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02891
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WESTERLY STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WST
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 81
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 25000
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45707
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30837
NTSB Number NYC91LA201
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 5137
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Aug 19 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 6188
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CUB CLUB, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address WESTERLY STATE AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City WESTERLY
Aircraft Owner State RI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02891
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CUB CLUB, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address WESTERLY STATE AIRPORT
Operator City WESTERLY
Operator State RI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02891
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 750
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 32
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --