Tri-City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blountville, Tennessee 37617
Saturday, March 4, 1989 22:29 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, HE WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT 3,000 FT WHEN HIS ENGINE DEVELOPED A MISS AND BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. AFTER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED APPLYING CARB HEAT, THERE WAS A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. SHORTLY, THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE AND POWER LINE AT OR NEAR STALL SPEED. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. THE EXISTING AMBIENT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CARBURETOR ICE. THE PILOT FAILED TO APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT IN A TIMELY AND ADEQUATE MANNER. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE TO A POINT OF FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WHICH ELIMINATED THE HEAT NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE ICE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2229
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLOUNTVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37617
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI-CITY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TRI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 55
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID TRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1519
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1850
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) 510
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39010
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25524
NTSB Number ATL89LA096
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15280715
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Jan 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 4884
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. MARTIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 270
Aircraft Owner City CHILHOWIE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24319
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOMINION AEROSPACE CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 517
Operator City ABINGDON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24210
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 No
Departure Airport Code TRI
Departure City BLOUNTVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2219
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 6A8
Destination City ABINGDON
Destination State VA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --