Watertown Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watertown, Wisconsin 53094
Sunday, April 30, 1989 7:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NEW, HOME BUILT, ACFT WAS ON ITS MAIDEN FLT. AS THE OWNER WAS PERFORMING STALLS ABOUT 1/2 HR AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. POWER WAS RESTORED WHEN THE PLT TURNED ON THE ELEC BOOST PUMP & SELECTED THE HEADER TANK. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER, AS HE WAS APCHG THE ARPT TO LAND, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN & WOULD NOT RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DRG AN EMERG LNDG. DRG AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SYS, AIR WAS FOUND IN THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE & NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE GASCOLATOR. THE FLOAT/NEEDLE VALVE WAS FOUND STUCK IN THE OPEN PSN & THE FLOAT SETTING WAS ABOUT 1/2 INCH OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. HOWEVER, THE OPEN VALVE SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED UNRESTRICTED FUEL FLOW RATHER THAN FUEL STARVATION. THE BUILDER HAD MODIFIED THE FUEL SYS BY INSTALLING AN EXTRA FUEL FILTER. THE EXTRA FUEL FILTER WAS INSTALLED IN THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE & WAS IN ADDITION TO THE SCREENS IN THE GASCOLATOR & THE CARBURETOR INLET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LACK FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE (FUEL STARVATION) DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WATERTOWN
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53094
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATERTOWN MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RYN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 70
Airport Elevation 820
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID MSN
Elevation of weather observation facility 862
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 444
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38944
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29HJ
NTSB Number CHI89DEP03
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 TESMER GLASSAIR
Aircraft Model SH-2
Aircraft Series Identifier SH-2
Aircraft Serial Number 134
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TESMER, JAMES J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address N8446 CTH-O
Aircraft Owner City WATERLOO
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53594
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City WATERLOO
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RYV
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 23
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --