Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sutherland, Virginia 23841
Wednesday, May 31, 1989 20:41 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PREPARE THE STUDENT FOR HIS PVT PILOT CHECKRIDE. THE CFI AND STUDENT WERE PERFORMING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING SPIRAL AND THE STUDENT WAS INSTRUCTED TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND AT 900 FT MSL. WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO GO-AROUND THE STUDENT REPORTED TO THE CFI THAT HE COULD NOT GET FULL POWER. THE CFI ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE TO NO AVAIL. THE FORCED LANDING WAS CONTINUED AND AT THE LAST MINUTE THE AIRPLANE WAS TURNED TO AVOID A FARM HOUSE. THE LANDING GEAR CAUGHT A FURROW DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT OPERATE. BOTH MAGNETOS WERE REMOVED AND ONE REPLACEMENT MAGNETO WAS INSTALLED AFTER WHICH THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE MAGNETO COILS WERE 'WEAK'. THE ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED 72 HOURS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOW OUTPUT OF THE MAGNETOS WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF FULL POWER DURING THE ATTEMPTED RECOVERY FROM A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT IGNORED INDICATIONS OF AN ENGINE PROBLEM DURING START WHEN THE ENGINE WAS HARD TO START.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2041
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SUTHERLAND
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23841
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) --
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) 758
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40259
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5488F
NTSB Number BFO89LA039
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 AIRCOUPE
Aircraft Model ALON A2A
Aircraft Series Identifier ALON A2A
Aircraft Serial Number B288
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 Nov 25 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 601
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name A. T. HARP
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 2 BOX 76
Aircraft Owner City AHOSKIE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27910
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTB
Departure City PETERSBURG
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --