Johnson City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnson City, Tennessee 37601
Sunday, April 22, 1990 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER TAKE OFF & A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. ONE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLL ON THE ROUGH GROUND. OWNER OF THE ACFT WAS A COMM. PILOT/A&P/IA. HE SAID WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO SAID THE ACFT HAD SAT ABOUT 90 DAYS AFTER FUEL HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE TANKS. ON THE GROUND THE LOW POINT OF THE TANKS WOULD PREVENT WATER MIGRATING TO THE FUEL STRAINER. THREADED DRAIN PLUGS ARE IN THE TANKS WHICH THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT REMOVE BEFORE THE FLIGHT WAS ATTEMPTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT/MECHANIC'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JOHNSON CITY
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37601
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHNSON CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0A4
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 1550
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
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) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 961
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42132
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3980V
NTSB Number ATL90LA102
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 170
Aircraft Series Identifier 170
Aircraft Serial Number 18299
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BERNATH, MICHAEL J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 231 WHISPERING WOOD
Operator City BLUFF CITY
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37618
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 1629
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff
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 4
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --