Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indianapolis, Indiana 46251
Thursday, June 22, 1989 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS 1ST SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING ON THE 2ND LEG OF THE FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER & WOULD NOT RESTART. AS THE STUDENT WAS MANEUVERING TO LAND IN A FIELD, THE ACFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK A TREETOP, THEN THE ACFT CRASHED TO THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH DEBRIS FROM THE DETERIORATING CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN ANALYSIS, WHICH REVEALED THE FUEL WAS A MIXTURE OF AVGAS & AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL CONTAMINATION FROM A DETERIORATING PART IN THE CARBURETOR. THE TREES AND IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City INDIANAPOLIS
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46251
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1068
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39345
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13652
NTSB Number CHI89LA118
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 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17262912
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 180
Airframe Hours 6440
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WASHINGTON AERONAUTICS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR. 2 BOX 417
Aircraft Owner City WAHSINGTON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WASHINGTON AERONAUTICS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR 2, BOX 417
Operator City WASHINGTON
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47501
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 418
Departure City INDIANAPOLIS
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 142
Destination City PAOLI
Destination State IN
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 --