Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
New London Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New London, Virginia 24551
Friday, April 12, 1985 16:40 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
WHILE EXITING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AFTER TKOF THE PLT SMELLED SMOKE AND OBSERVED FLAMES NEAR THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL. AFTER FAILING TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH HIS SHOES THE PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND SUBSEQUENTLY LNDD USING SIDE WINDOW TO LOOK OUT OF DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. DURING LNDG THE PLT WAS FORCED TO REMOVE HIS FEET FM THE RUDDER PEDALS DUE TO FIRE. HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE HAND BRAKE BUT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RWY BEFORE COLLIDING WITH A DITCH AND FENCE. EXAM REVEALED THE BAT CABLE FD SEPARATED AND SHOWED SIGNS OF INTENSE HEAT AT A PT ABT 4 INCHES FM THE STARTER SWITCH. THE SEP PT WAS LOCATED BENEATH THE PLTS SEAT WHERE THE CABLE PASSED THRU A RUBBER GROMMET IN A METAL BOX HOUSING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/12/1985 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1640 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | NEW LONDON |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24551 |
| Event Date Year | 1985 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | NEW LONDON |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W90 |
| 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 | 849 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1600 |
| 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) | 50 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 192 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2300 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 934 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 15 1985 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 28264 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 9:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5738D |
| NTSB Number | BFO85LA038 |
| 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 | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA 22-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA 22-150 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-4438 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2000 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 19 1984 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 54 |
| Airframe Hours | 56525 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RUCKER TIBBS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RT. 1, BOX 485 |
| Aircraft Owner City | FOREST |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 24551 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | W90 |
| Departure City | NEW LONDON |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1635 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | W90 |
| Destination City | NEW LONDON |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2002 12:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 3164 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |