Muhlenberg County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Kentucky 42345
Sunday, August 30, 1987 13:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS PART OF A 'CLOWN ACT' AT AN AIR SHOW. THE ENG LOST PWR SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AS THE PLT WAS PERFORMING PITCHING MANEUVERS. HE UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN PWR BY 'PUMPING' THE THROTTLE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED TREES. A POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR WAS ABOUT 90% FULL OF WATER AND 10% FULL OF FUEL. HOWEVER, THE CONTENTS OF THE CARBURETOR WAS MOSTLY FUEL WITH ABOUT 1 TO 2 TEASPOONS OF WATER. A SMALL AMOUNT OF TRASH WAS ALSO PRESENT IN FUEL THAT WAS DRAINED FROM THE CARBURETOR. THE CARBURETOR WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ACCELERATOR PUMP. NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK. THE PLT REPORTED THAT NO WATER WAS OBTAINED WHEN FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL TANK PRIOR TO FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42345
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MUHLENBERG COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M21
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 419
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1684
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35022
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92191
NTSB Number ATL87LA246
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 J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 16631
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 Apr 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 2251
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD R WINCHESTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3014 VEATCH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City OWENSBORO
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID LOWE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City SACRAMENTO
Operator State KY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 42372
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 5
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --