Davis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rowland, North Carolina 28383
Friday, September 8, 1989 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER A NORMAL PRE FLIGHT INSPECTION, ENGINE START, ENGINE RUN UP, AND TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 4 THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE RPM, SLOWLY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, THE ENGINE OIL AND FUEL PRESSURE WAS NORMAL, AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS ON. THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK FOR THE AIRPLANE EMPHASIZES ENSURING THAT CARBURETOR ICE HAS NOT BUILT UP DURING THE TAXI FOR TAKE OFF. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATE THAT THE ICING PROBABILITY AT GLIDE POWER WAS SERIOUS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES, DEW POINT WAS 68 DEGREES, AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY WAS ABOUT 68%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND PREVENT CARBURETOR ICING PRIOR TO TAKE OFF.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROWLAND
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28383
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DAVIS
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 150
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1851 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID FAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 190
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1929
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41059
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4386J
NTSB Number ATL89LA209
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-22774
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Sep 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 6695
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVANS, JOHN WESLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 625
Aircraft Owner City LUBERTON
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28359
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVANS, JOHN W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 625
Operator City LUMBERTON
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28259
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 1900
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --