Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sleepers Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Saturday, July 31, 1999 16:30 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The solo commercial pilot reported that during cruise flight the engine began to run rough, and lose power. He noted that for a short time, he was able to restore partial engine power by actuating the engine fuel primer. While attempting to land on a small, private airstrip, all engine power was lost, and the airplane collided with a stand of trees. An examination of the interior of the fiberglass fuel tanks revealed delamination of the resin material within the tank, and both main fuel tank outlets were blocked with a brown, plastic-like material. Examination of both in-line wing fuel filters revealed the presence of the same material found in the main fuel tanks. The pilot/owner stated that in the past, he had operated the airplane for about 40 hours using an alcohol based fuel. AVID Aircraft service letter number 03, dated 5/91, covering all AVID Flyer models, stipulates that a placard be placed near the filler neck stating, in part: 'NO ALCOHOL BLENDED FUELS. These fuels may cause deterioration of the fiberglass tanks or carburetor parts.' The pilot/owner stated that since he has owned the airplane, he has not received any warnings or directives concerning the use of alcohol based fuels directly from the manufacture of the airplane kit, AVID Aircraft, Inc.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to blockage of the airplane fuel system, a delamination of the fiberglass fuel tanks, and the usage of an improper fuel. A factor associated with the accident was the failure of the kit manufacturer to inform the pilot/owner against the usage of alcohol based fuel.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/31/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | ANCHORAGE |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99502 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | SLEEPERS AIRSTRIP |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| 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 | 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| 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 | 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1491 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 1 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1815 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 23 2001 9:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N511AF |
| NTSB Number | ANC99LA101 |
| 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 | Haering Avid Flyer |
| Aircraft Model | AVID FLYER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AVID FLYER |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 511 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 911 |
| 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 | Feb 22 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 80 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRETT F. HAERING |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4731 KERSHNER STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | ANCHORAGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99517 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | Z41 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| 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 | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 23 2001 11:29AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 9 |
| Runway Length | 1600 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |