Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Medford, Oregon 97501
Sunday, May 1, 1988 15:44 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT PERFORMED A NEGATIVE 'G' MANEUVER, ESTIMATED AT 2 TO 2.5 NEGATIVE 'G' FORCE, FOLLOWING WHICH THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN SCRUB TREES. THE ENGINE IS EQUIPPED WITH A FLOAT CARBURETOR. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE CAUSE OF POWER LOSS WAS NEGATIVE 'G' DISPLACEMENT OF ONE OR BOTH FLOATS IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL (STUCK FLOAT), RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/1/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1544
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MEDFORD
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97501
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID MFR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1300
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 257
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35990
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53125
NTSB Number SEA88LA087
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 STEARMAN
Aircraft Model A-75-N1
Aircraft Series Identifier A-75-N1
Aircraft Serial Number 75-1773
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Jul 2 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5392
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE F. DEMARTINI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 960 SHAFER LANE
Aircraft Owner City MEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 MFR
Departure City MEDFORD
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --