Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Saturday, July 1, 1989 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING OVER WATER ALONG THE BEACHFRONT AT 200 FT MSL, WITH THE ENGINE SET AT 2250 RPM. HE HEARD A FAINT SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AND SENSED THAT THE MUFFLER WAS SEPARATING. HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO CLIMB. THE ENGINE ONLY DEVELOPED 2200 RPM AT FULL THROTTLE. HE DROPPED THE BANNER AND SOON AFTERWARD THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT STATED THAT A BURNING SMELL FILLED THE CABIN; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE ANY SMOKE. HE DITCHED THE ACFT AND USED A LIFE PRESERVER TO FLOAT ASHORE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE EXHAUST PIPE AT THE NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR CYLINDER EXHAUST STACK JOINT, WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE MUFFLER. ALSO NOTED WAS SOOT AND SMOKE DISCOLORATION INSIDE THE CARBURETOR INLET CHAMBER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FROM EXHAUST GAS LEAKAGE INTO THE CARBURETOR INLET, CAUSING ENGINE AIR STARVATION, AND MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. .

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OCEAN CITY
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21842
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SBY
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1658
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40563
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7521F
NTSB Number BFO89LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 204-70
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1588
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OCEAN AERIAL ADS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 813
Aircraft Owner City OCEAN CITY
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21842
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
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 10:35AM
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 --