Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Fryeburg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fryeburg, Maine 04037
Monday, July 23, 2001 9:33 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed on a cross-country flight in an experimental airplane. While climbing through 8,000 ft, the engine lost manifold pressure, and the pilot was unable to restore climb power. He headed toward a nearby airport, and planned on a straight-in approach. Due to the low altitude of the airplane, he elected to hold the landing gear until he was close to the runway. When he extended the landing gear, there was insufficient time for full extension, and the airplane touched down about 100 feet short of the runway, with partial landing gear extension. Examination of the airplane revealed the remains of a paper towel in the turbocharger and intercooler. The pilot had completed his phase 1 flight time requirements and the accident flight was the first flight following an inspection in which the engine cowling had been removed. Paper towels were used as wipes on both the engine and airframe. The pilot was assisted by several persons, some of whom were not rated aviation mechanics. The pilot later reported that a paper towel had inadvertently been left on top of the engine. The airplane was powered by a converted automotive V-8 engine. The engine was equipped with an air filter. However, there was also a 5-inch by 10-inch opening on the back of the engine which allowed unfiltered air into the air intake manifold.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial blockage of the air intake system, due to the pilot's failure to ensure the engine compartment was clear of paper towels after a maintenance inspection.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/23/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 933 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fryeburg |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04037 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 435915N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0700609W |
| Event Location Airport | Fryeburg |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IZG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 160 |
| Airport Elevation | 454 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 935 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 100 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LEW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 288 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1629 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11162 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NEROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 23 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1001 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 4 2001 12:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Portland, Maine |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N488SD |
| NTSB Number | NYC01LA184 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Pohl |
| Aircraft Model | Lancair IV-P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | LIV-0008 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 9 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 45.1 |
| Airframe Hours | 45.1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Douglas A. Pohl |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Auburn |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04210 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | LEW |
| Departure City | Lewiston |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | IZG |
| Destination City | Fryeburg |
| Destination State | ME |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 13 2001 11:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COXP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 32 |
| Runway Length | 4200 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |