Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Porte, Texas 77571
Saturday, March 25, 1989 10:12 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB THE ACFT SUSTAINED A LOSS OF POWER. THE STUDENT PLT HAD TO EXTEND THE GLIDE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE PLT STATED THE ENG RPM GRADUALLY DECREASED DURING THE CLIMB TO THE POINT THAT HE COULD NOT SUSTAIN FLT. THE ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED THAT CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF VISIBLE ICE IN THE INDUCTION SYSTEM AT RATED PWR. THERE WAS NO OTHER SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FORCED LNDG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

HARD LANDING WHICH OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT HAVING TO EXTEND HIS GLIDE OVER OBSTACLES ON SHORT FINAL TO THE FORCED LANDING AREA. THE FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED AS A RESULT OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION DUE TO INDUCTION ICING FOR WHICH NO PROVISIONS HAD BEEN MADE DURING THE INSTALLATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1012
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LA PORTE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77571
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID T-41
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 952 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 55
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 670
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 25 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1012
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40044
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 N9763N
NTSB Number FTW89DRA03
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 BENSON
Aircraft Model B-8-M
Aircraft Series Identifier B-8-M
Aircraft Serial Number 9587-2-8014M
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
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 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 10
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARVIN FAULK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4906 CRESTWAY
Aircraft Owner City LA PORTE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77571
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FAULK, MRVIN L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4906 CRESTWAY
Operator City LA PORTE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77571
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 T-41
Departure City LA PORTE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T-41
Destination City
Destination State
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --