Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Sunday, July 15, 1990 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN LOSING ENGINE POWER WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AFTER A 35-40 MINUTE PLEASURE FLIGHT AND WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE THE REMAINING TWO MILES FOR LANDING. HE STALLED THE AIRPLANE INTO TREES. THE AIRPLANE DROPPED ABOUT 50 FEET, STOPPING 20-25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CABLE WAS FOUND PULLED OUT AND THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX VALVE WAS FROZEN IN THE COLD POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN INOPERABLE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL. LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DOYLESTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18901
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
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 --
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 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 891
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42063
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 N2089A
NTSB Number NYC90LA161
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7BCM
Aircraft Series Identifier 7BCM
Aircraft Serial Number 7BCM 144
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 2073
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH R HALPIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 210 BEATRICE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City HATLORO
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19040
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EDWARD COLE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 101 E. 6TH STREET
Operator City LANDSDALE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19446
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 No
Departure Airport Code 8N9
Departure City WARRINGTON
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 Approach
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 --