Casement Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Painesville, Ohio 44077
Sunday, August 13, 1989 19:47 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS ACFT & WAS PRACTICING GROUND TAXI OPNS. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF. WHEN HE TOOK OFF, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO USE FUEL FROM THE UPPER TANK, WHICH WAS NEARLY EMPTY. AFTER THE ACFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 400 FT AGL, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL STARVATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO GLIDE TO AN OPEN FIELD. THERE WERE APRX 6 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE ACFT'S LOWER (MAIN) FUEL TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION; AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TREES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1947
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PAINESVILLE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44077
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CASEMENT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVZ
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 680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2045 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 792
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1066
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39343
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69GM
NTSB Number CHI89DEI02
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 ACRODUSTER
Aircraft Model SA-750
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-750
Aircraft Serial Number 5
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 25 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 102
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DEBEVC, TONY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7563 DOTY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44057
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ANTHONY DEBEVC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7563 DOTY ROAD
Operator City MADISON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44057
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 PVZ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVZ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 3800
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --