Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Allaire Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
Tuesady, September 3, 2002 12:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The banner towing airplane was being positioned to another airport. After takeoff, the airplane engine lost power. Unsuitable terrain limited the pilot's options, and he struck a chain link fence during a forced landing. Examination revealed low compression in the engine, with air bypass on all exhaust valves, and evidence of detonation. The airplane had 3 fuel tanks, each of which held 18 gallons, and two of which contained uncontaminated fuel. One tank contained fuel to which Marvel Mystery Oil had been added. The fuel was pink in color and had an oily feel. The FAA reported that they found an empty can of Marvel Mystery Oil in the operator's trash. The recommended ratio for the additive to fuel was 1 part additive to 100 parts fuel. The operator did not have any specific instructions on how or when to add the Marvel Mystery Oil, or what ratio to use. The pilot, chief pilot, and manager all denied adding the substance to the fuel. In addition, the manager reported that he interviewed the maintenance personnel and they denied adding the Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper use of an fuel additive which resulted in a power loss. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/3/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Belmar |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 07719 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400947N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0740452W |
| Event Location Airport | Allaire |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BLM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3.6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 140 |
| Airport Elevation | 157 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1215 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BLM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 159 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2800 |
| 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) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1273 |
| 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) | 14647 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern Region Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 3 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1255 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 30 2003 8:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Teterboro, New Jersey |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5428H |
| NTSB Number | NYC02LA181 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-18 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-19 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1474 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 5 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 5 |
| Airframe Hours | 5996 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James L. Butler |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7501 Pembroke Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hollywood |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33023 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Aerial Sign Company |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | BLM |
| Departure City | Belmar |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1155 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CPK |
| Destination City | Norfolk |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 17 2003 11:09AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |