Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Neenah, Wisconsin 54956
Saturday, September 22, 1990 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMB TO CRUISE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE AND ON TOUCHDOWN IN A SOFT FIELD THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF USABLE FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD INTENTIONALLY BEEN OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT IN A LOW FUEL STATE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE FUEL VALVES INSPECTED, WHICH HE STATED COULD NOT BE DONE WITH FULL TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY, AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE, SOFT TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NEENAH
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54956
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 845 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID ATW
Elevation of weather observation facility 917
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3083
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1083
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42303
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8422J
NTSB Number CHI90DEP11
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 Varga
Aircraft Model KACHINA 2150A
Aircraft Series Identifier KACHINA 21
Aircraft Serial Number VAC-167-80
Certified Max Gross Weight 1817
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 774
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES D. COURTNEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1558 LAKESHORE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MENASHA
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54952
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ATW
Destination City APPLETON
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --