Ft. Clark Springs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brackettville, Texas 78832
Sunday, March 4, 1990 11:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING FROM AN AIRSTRIP ON A FERRY PERMIT FOR AN INOPERABLE LANDING GEAR MECHANISM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET AGL DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE PROPELLER WAS NOT OF A TYPE THAT COULD BE FEATHERED. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND ELECTED TO CIRCLE TO LAND. DURING THE CIRCLING MANEUVER, THE PILOT FELT THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP AND ATTEMPTED TO ALIGN THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING ON A ROAD AHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT. DURING A STEEP RIGHT BANK FOR THIS PURPOSE THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A POWER LINE, CARTWHEELED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE ON SITE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE HAVING SOME CARBURETOR HEAT APPLIED EVEN THOUGH THE CONTROL POSITIONS WERE OFF. THE RIGHT CARBURETOR INLET SCREEN WAS VERY DIRTY AND THE ACCELERATOR PUMP WAS STUCK AT THE ONE QUARTER THROTTLE OPEN POSITION. THIS WAS NOT IMPACT RELATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTIONING CARBURETOR AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING HIS OBSTACLE CLEARANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A WIRE STRIKE WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNCOMMANDED DEPLOYMENT OF CARBURETOR HEAT ON BOTH ENGINES, AN INOPERATIVE GEAR RETRACTION SYSTEM, AND A PROPELLER SYSTEM WHICH COULD NOT BE FEATHERED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BRACKETTVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78832
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FT. CLARK SPRINGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1277
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1303
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42456
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N578EK
NTSB Number FTW90LA078
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T50-A17
Aircraft Series Identifier T50-A17
Aircraft Serial Number 2581
Certified Max Gross Weight 5700
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 4304
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LLOYD LEE DAVIS, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 527
Aircraft Owner City BRACKETTVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78832
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City TULA ROSA
Destination State TX
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 --