Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vinton, Iowa 52349
Saturday, October 31, 1987 9:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS RPRTD TO BE ON A MAINT FERRY FLT TO ANOTHER STATE. HE RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, HE TOPPED OFF THE FUEL TANK & THAT THE PREFLT, TAKEOFF & DEPARTURE WERE NORMAL. DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, HE LEVELED OFF AT APRX 2000' AGL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG RPM BEGAN TO GRADUALLY DECREASE UNTIL THE ENG STOPPED RUNNING. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD, BUT THE ACFT NOSED OVER & WAS DMGD. DURING AN EXAM OF THE ACFT FUEL SYS, DIRTY RESIDUE WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL FILTER BOWL & DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL FILTER ELEMENT & FUEL INJECTOR CONTROL VALVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City VINTON
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52349
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VTI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1000 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 141
Weather Observation Facility ID CID
Elevation of weather observation facility 864
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36560
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76EM
NTSB Number MKC88FA012
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 MERCHANT
Aircraft Model PITTS S-1S
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S-1S
Aircraft Serial Number 1976
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 440
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY MERCHANT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 807 W. 16TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City VINTON
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 52349
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VTI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --