Amelia Earhart Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atchison, Kansas 66002
Thursday, August 25, 1983 12:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACRT CRASHED 200 FT SHORT OF THE RWY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT CAME TO REST 100 FT BELOW THE RWY LEVEL. THE LANDING GEAR WAS BROKEN BACKWARD. THE NOSE OF THE ACRT WAS AGAINST A DIRT BANK. THERE WAS LESS THAN 1 INCH OF FUEL IN ONE CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK. ALL FUEL LINES WERE INTACT BUT THE FIREWALL FUEL FILTER WAS BROKEN AND COULD HAVE LEAKED. DURING TESTING IT WAS CAPABLE OF SYPHONING THE FUEL DOWN TO NE PINT REMAINING IN THE TANK WHEN THE SOIL UNDER THE POSITION OF THE FILTER WAS DUG INTO A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL WAS EVIDENT. THE PILOT SAID THIS ACRT HAD A VAPOR LOCK PROBLEM BEFORE AND A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS INSTALLED. THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS OFF AT THE ACCIDENT SITE BUT THE THROTTLE WAS FULL FOWARD AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL RICH. THE PILOT HAD REDUCED POWER ON THE DOWWIND LEG AND REAPPLIED IT ON FINAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ATCHISON
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66002
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AMELIA EARHART
Event Location Nearest Airport ID K59
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 340
Airport Elevation 1070
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1393
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21687
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 N798G
NTSB Number MKC83FA201
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 GRIEME
Aircraft Model SKYBOLT
Aircraft Series Identifier SKYBOLT
Aircraft Serial Number 01
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 110
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM L. GRIEME
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4618 DANIEL DR.
Aircraft Owner City CRYSTAL LAKE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60614
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 K27
Departure City FT. MADISON
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 16
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --