Beaverhead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winston, New Mexico 87943
Monday, September 11, 1989 18:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT LEANED THE MIXTURE & TOOK OFF ON RWY 30, A HIGH ALT DIRT STRIP WITH A 3.8% UPHILL GRADIENT. WINDS WERE FROM THE NNW AT ABT 14 KTS. AT APRX 200' TO 300' AGL, THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE ACFT SETTLED & CRASHED ON ROCKY TERRAIN AS THE PLT WAS AVOIDING TREES. FIRE CONSUMED THE ACFT. A TEARDOWN OF THE MARVEL-SCHEBLER MA4-SPA CARB REVEALED IT CONTAINED A COMPOSITE FLOAT (WHICH WAS DETERIORATED), PART OF THE FLOAT TOE WAS MISSING & THE NEEDLE VALVE WAS STUCK. THE VALVE & SEAT WERE COVERED WITH A SOFT/STICKY SUBSTANCE & THE INLET FILTER SCREEN WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY BLOCKED BY FOREIGN DEBRIS. AN STC HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR N9496D, WHICH ALLOWED USE OF AUTO FUEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

DETERIORATED CARBURETOR FLOAT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WINSTON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87943
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 BEAVERHEAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1E3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 305
Airport Elevation 7378
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 325
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 9000
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1558
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39899
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9496D
NTSB Number DEN89LA214
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18A-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18A-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-6748
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Aug 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2522
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KRAMER, JOHN EDWARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11 SHARP RD.
Aircraft Owner City SANDIA PARK
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87047
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1E3
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NM51
Destination City EDGEWOOD
Destination State NM
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 30
Runway Length 3840
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --