Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74132
Wednesday, May 16, 2001 19:39 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight in the homebuilt airplane, the pilot observed a rise in engine oil temperature. He elected to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport; however, engine rpm decreased to where altitude could not be maintained. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a bean field about one mile northeast of the airport. During the landing, the airplane touched down hard, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. An examination of the Corvair automotive engine, by the owner, revealed a stuck oil cooler thermostat valve. The stuck valve was preventing oil from flowing through the oil cooler.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate flare during the forced landing, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the engine overheating due a stuck oil cooler thermostat valve, which resulted in a loss of power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/2001
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1939
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Tulsa
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74132
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID TUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 677
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.68
Density Altitude (feet) 2691
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11372
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 17 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2002 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25157
NTSB Number FTW01LA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Kirchner
Aircraft Model Pietenpol Aircamper
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 113EHK
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Earl D. Pittinger Jr.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 411 West K Street
Aircraft Owner City Jenks
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74037
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 OK94
Departure City COLLINSVILLE
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RVS
Destination City Tulsa
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2002 9:12AM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --