Sky Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knoxville, Tennessee 37920
Wednesday, October 17, 1990 13:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL DURING THE TAKEOFF LEG. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED IN A LAKE ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL THE SOURCE OF THE POWER LOSS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SOMEONE MAY HAVE PLACED THE FUEL LEVER INTO THE 'OFF' POSITION PRIOR TO FLIGHT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY KICKED THE FUEL SWITCH TO THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE REPORTED THAT HE DOES NOT USE A CHECKLIST, AND HE SETS THE COCKPIT SWITCHES UP FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S INADVERTENT CLOSING OF THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE, WHICH TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1308
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KNOXVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37920
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TN98
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 822
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID TYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1433
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42744
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19SR
NTSB Number ATL91LA004
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 E TN PLTS STARDUSTER
Aircraft Model STARDUSTER II
Aircraft Series Identifier STARDUSTER
Aircraft Serial Number 389
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 108
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EAST TENNESSEE PILOT'S CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1501
Aircraft Owner City MARYVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37802
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 1308
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 19
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --