Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longmont, Colorado 80502
Sunday, December 22, 1991 13:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, AT A GROSS WEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 50 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NEITHER CLIMB NOR ACCELERATE. AFTER TURNING CROSSWIND AT 250 FEET AGL AND 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE RUNWAY END, ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO 'CREEP DOWN.' THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE RPM, THEREFORE, A FORCED LANDING WAS PERFORMED IN A PASTURE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND FENCE, NOSED OVER, AND CAUGHT FIRE. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED, MAGNETO IMPULSE COUPLING WEAK, AND RUST AND EVIDENCE OF DETONATION WAS PRESENT IN THE CYLINDERS AND ON PISTON DOMES, WHICH DEGRADED POWER AVAILABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FOULED SPARK PLUGS. THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE ENGINE WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City LONGMONT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80502
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 0
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 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5500
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1551
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45417
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97962
NTSB Number DEN92LA017
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 STINSON
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-1
Aircraft Serial Number 108-962
Certified Max Gross Weight 2078
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 11 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2391
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD BADTRAM/STEPHEN INNES
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 3552
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80303
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD BADTRAM/STEPHEN INNES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1327
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EMD
Destination City EMPORIA
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --