Johnstown-Cambria County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15902
Saturday, July 30, 1983 19:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER TAKEOFF. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ACFT WAS AN AMATEUR/EXPERIMENTAL KR-1 WITH A VW 2100 CC ENGINE, MAINTAINED UNDER A CONDITION INSPECTION PROGRAM PERFORMED BY THE OWNER. INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED AND A STEEP APPROACH ANGLE. THE ACFT HAD TURNED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT FROM THE TAKEOFF HEADING OF 230 CAME TO REST 300 FT FROM INITIAL IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT CARBURETOR HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER CARBURETOR AND THE FUEL LINE FROM GASCOLATOR TO THE CARBURETOR MADE A SHARP BEND WITH A KINK IN THE HOSE. THE CARBURETOR FLOAT WAS NOT OF RECOMMENDED SIZE AND SOME OF THE COPPER FUEL LINES FROM TANK TO CARBURETOR HADBEEN CUT WITH A TUBE CUTTER WITH METAL EXTENDING OVER THE HOLES, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN CLEANED OUT. THREE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WOULD NOT FIRE AT 120 PSI; FIRING WAS NORMAL WHEN PRESSURE WAS DROPPED TO 100 PSI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1905
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JOHNSTOWN
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15902
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHNSTOWN-CAMBRIA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JST
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 150
Airport Elevation 2284
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2305 Z
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID JST
Elevation of weather observation facility 2284
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation Z
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1052
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21360
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 N80190
NTSB Number NYC83FGM04
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CHAMBERLAIN
Aircraft Model KR-1
Aircraft Series Identifier KR-1
Aircraft Serial Number 192-01-7391
Certified Max Gross Weight 720
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 64
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRY L. CHAMBERLAIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1541 WILLIAM PENN AVE.
Aircraft Owner City JOHNSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15902
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RALPH G. LING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 205 HASTINGS ST.
Operator City JOHNSTOWN
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15902
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1905
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4470
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --