Butler Farm Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Butler, Pennsylvania
Sunday, September 19, 1982 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OWNER INTENDED TO PUT HIS AIRCRAFT ON STATIC DISPLAY AT THE AIRPORT FLY-IN WHICH WAS ON THE SAME AIRPORT. A FRIEND INFORMED THE OWNER THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO FLY THE PLANE AND THE OWNER DISCLOSED THAT IT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT INSPECTION. THE PLANE WAS FUELED WITH 3 GAL OF GASOLINE AND THE OWNER SUGGESTED THAT HIS FRIEND TAXI IT TO THE STATIC DISPLAY AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 18 AND BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP TURN AND THE NOSE BEGAN DROPPING. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT UP FROM A HIGH SINK RATE. ACCORDING TO A NEARBY WITNESS, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE OUTLET OF THE FUEL TANK WAS IN THE CENTER/BOTTOM OF THE TANK. THE OWNER BELIEVED THAT WITH ONLY 3 GAL OF FUEL, FUEL STARVATION COULD OCCUR IN UNCOORDINATED FLIGHT OR STEEP CLIMBS OR DIVES. HE BELIEVE THERE WAS 1 GAL OF UNUSABLE FUEL IN NORMAL BANKS/CAREFUL CLIMB

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BUTLER
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport BUTLER FARM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 74
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1880
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N827Z
NTSB Number NYC82FGM16
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 FOSTER
Aircraft Model AIRSPEED
Aircraft Series Identifier AIRSPEED
Aircraft Serial Number HCF4
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 97
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HENRY C. FOSTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2, P.O. BOX 34
Aircraft Owner City WEXFORD
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15090
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENRY C. FOSTER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT. 2, P.O. BOX 34
Operator City WEXFORD
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15090
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BUTLER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1155
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BUTLER
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2590
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --