Moyer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chalfont, Pennsylvania 18914
Sunday, July 30, 1989 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN A SOY BEAN FIELD WHERE IT NOSED OVER. AN ENGINE CHECK WAS MADE AND NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. THE PHILADELPHIA TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 72 DEGREES AND 59 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHALFONT
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18914
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 MOYER
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 310
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1514
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39858
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5209G
NTSB Number NYC89LA218
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 305A
Aircraft Series Identifier 305A
Aircraft Serial Number 21811
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Sep 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 8253
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROAD AXE EQUIPMENT CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 905 SHEEHY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HORSHAM
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19044
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH E. HEFFERMAN, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 905 SHEEHY DR.
Operator City HORSHAM
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19044
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
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 13
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --