Trinca Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tranquility, New Jersey 07879
Saturday, September 7, 1991 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN, APPARENTLY IN PREPARATION FOR A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN, AND THE PILOT INITIATED A LEFT TURN AS IF TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT AND CRASHED. THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. AT THE AIRPORT WHERE N3721C HAD BEEN PARKED, SEVERAL PILOTS REPORTED INSECTS NESTS IN FUEL VENTS, CAUSING BLOCKAGE OF THESE OPENINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR A RECOVERY FROM THE STALL WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TRANQUILITY
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07879
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRINCA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 13N
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 600
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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 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) 2193
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45391
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3721C
NTSB Number NYC91FA230
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model PT-17
Aircraft Series Identifier PT-17
Aircraft Serial Number 75-3541
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN E. SNYDER
Aircraft Owner Street Address COUNTY RD
Aircraft Owner City WINTERMUTE
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07860
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN E. SNYDER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address COUNTY RD
Operator City WINTERMUTE
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07860
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 1118
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 13N
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --