Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montpelier, Vermont 05602
Saturday, July 30, 1988 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE PROBLEM DURING A FERRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT KNAPP STATE AIRPORT IN MONTPELIER, VERMONT. HOWEVER, DURING THE APPROACH THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND PARTICLES OF RUST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION OF WATER AND RUST PARTICLES IN FUEL SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MONTPELIER
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05602
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
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 6000
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2427
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39433
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2883P
NTSB Number NYC88LA198
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 LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 937
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHERN AIRCRAFT MARKETING
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX
Aircraft Owner City SO. BURL
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 05403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12 SANDALWOOD RD.
Operator City SO. BURLINGTON
Operator State VT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 05403
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BTV
Departure City BURLINGTON
Departure State VT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LACONIA
Destination State NH
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --