Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lantana, Florida 33462
Sunday, June 18, 1989 15:34 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THE ENG FAILED ABRUPTLY AS THE ACFT MADE A RIGHT TURN AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ENG WAS PLACED ON A TEST STAND AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND OPERATED TO FULL POWER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. UNCONTAMINATED FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME AND ENG FUEL SYSTEM AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE ENG IGNITION SWITCHES WERE DESTROYED IN THE ACCIDENT AND THE POSITION OF THESE SWITCHES COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT OBSERVED THE ENG OPERATE ON THE TEST STAND AND WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCHES WERE TURNED OFF THE ENG FAILED ABRUPTLY. THEY IDENTIFIED THIS FAILURE MODE AS SIMILAR TO THE INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE ENG. THE OTHER OWNER OF THE ACFT STATED HE HAD INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SWITCHES A FEW YEARS BEFORE WHEN HE BUMPED THEM WHILE CLOSING THE AIR VENT. HE STATED THE POINT IN THIS FLIGHT THAT THE ENG FAILED WOULD HAVE BEEN THE POINT THE PLT WOULD HAVE CLOSED THE AIR VENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOTS INADVERTENT TURNING OFF OF THE ENGINE IGNITION SWITCHES RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1534
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LANTANA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33462
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 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 983
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39146
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2UM
NTSB Number MIA89FA177
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name UHLEY-MASON
Aircraft Model R.A.F. VARI-EZE
Aircraft Series Identifier R.A.F. VAR
Aircraft Serial Number 705
Certified Max Gross Weight 1110
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 17 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 661
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name P.A. MASON AND E. M. SLATTERY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 25 MIDDLE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PALM BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33480
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SLATTERY, EUGENE M.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1227 NW 4TH AVE.
Operator City DELRAY BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33444
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 LNA
Departure City LANTANA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BCT
Destination City BOCA RATON
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --