Meadowlark Gliderport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whitsett, North Carolina 27377
Tuesady, June 28, 1988 17:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT 150 FT AGL. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE ARPT; THE AIRPLANE CRASHED AT ABOUT THE 180 DEG POINT. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS STC'D FOR AUTOGAS & WAS FUELED W/ A 50/50 MIX OF AVGAS AND AUTOGAS. HE NOTED THAT HE HAD ADVISED THE PLT JUST PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRONE TO CARB ICE AND THAT CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR CARB ICE FORMATION. HE SUBSEQUENTLY OBSERVED THAT THE PLT ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO IDLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE T/O ROLL. EXAM OF ICING PROBABILITY CURVES REVEALED THAT REPORTED WX CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE PWR SETTINGS. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 91-33A NOTES THAT FAA TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT CARB ICE WILL OCCUR FASTER AND AT HIGHER TEMPS W/ AUTOGAS THAN AVGAS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WHITSETT
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27377
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEADOWLARK GLIDERPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NC19
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 670
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) 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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1637
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37809
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2875Y
NTSB Number ATL88LA202
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 22384
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VIA, WILLIAM F
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 280
Aircraft Owner City WHITSETT
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27377
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM F. VIA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 280
Operator City WHITSETT
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27377
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 1730
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 Maneuvering
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 18
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --