Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woodstock, Alabama 35188
Thursday, April 13, 2000 16:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 30 minutes after refueling, and at a cruise altitude of about 2,000 feet, the engine failed. The pilot attempted to restart the engine during the forced landing. The engine failed to restart; the airplane glided short of intended off-airport landing area, and struck the top of a tree. After striking the tree the airplane went nose first into a marshy area. The engine was equipped with a dual electronic ignition, controlled by a computer in conjunction with a computer driven fuel compensation unit. The electronic equipment was damaged beyond testing capability. The factory representative for the engine company stated, '...that he believed the malfunction was the result of one or more computers.' Due to impact damage to the electronic components, the cause of the engine failure was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a total engine failure for undetermined reason, resulting in a forced landing and subsequent impact with a tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WOODSTOCK
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35188
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TCL
Elevation of weather observation facility 170
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 364
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM. CENTER ATLANTA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 13 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1753
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N897G
NTSB Number MIA00LA132
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 HARTLINE
Aircraft Model GLASTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASTAR
Aircraft Serial Number 8-5245
Certified Max Gross Weight 1900
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Sep 11 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN BON HARTLINE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 TAILDRAGGER
Aircraft Owner City ANNA
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62906
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SCD
Departure City SYLACAUGA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAH
Destination City PADUCAH
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
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 --