Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32014
Thursday, December 10, 1987 9:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ALTHOUGH THE PLT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A PREFLT & ENG RUNUP PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WITH NO PROBLEM NOTED, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 350 FT, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO & STAYED BETWEEN 1500 & 1600. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES, THEN THE GROUND. THE PAX STATED THAT THE ENG RPM WAS FLUCTUATING DURING THE GROUND CHECK. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ENG DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DEVELOPING FULL POWER AT DEPARTURE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR DISCHARGE NOZZLE WAS PLUGGED BY CONTAMINANTS. THE CARBURETOR HEAT & MIXTURE CONTROL CABLES WERE DISCONNECTED. ENG RUN REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS IMPROPERLY TIMED AND ALL LEADS OF THE RT MAGNETO WERE SHORTED. LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DONE ON 9/24/86.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32014
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRUCE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 44J
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 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 947 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 356
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1100
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2136
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1021
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35726
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8767C
NTSB Number MIA88LA059
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-18-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-135
Aircraft Serial Number 182857
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Sep 24 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 141
Airframe Hours 3251
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SARTORETTI, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2580 SLOW FLICHT DR
Aircraft Owner City DAYTONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32014
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SARTORETTI, FRANK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2680 SLOW FLIGHT DR
Operator City DAYTONA BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32014
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 930
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --