Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Haller Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Green Cove Sprg, Florida 32043
Thursday, May 15, 2003 19:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he performed a normal preflight and started the engine per the checklist. He performed an engine run-up before takeoff which included checking the magnetos; no discrepancies were reported. The flight departed from runway 18 with 8 gallons of automotive fuel, and at approximately 250 feet , the engine failed. The airplane crashed into a tree line, and after coming to rest, he evacuated the airplane. According to an FAA inspector who examined the airplane and accident site area, a witness reported observing the airplane take off from runway 18, and when the flight was approximately 200 feet above ground level during the upwind leg, he heard the engine experience a loss of power. The airplane was observed to bank to the left and continued the turn. The witness lost sight of the airplane due to obstructions and reported hearing the accident. Examination of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed the airplane descended nearly vertically and came to rest upright in a wooded area. Both wing fuel tanks were breached; the smell of fuel was noted. The propeller was rotated by hand revealing the engine was not seized. Impact damage to the ignition system and fuel injector precluded operation of the engine or bench testing of the components. No determination was made as to the reason for the loss of engine power. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/15/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1940 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Green Cove Sprg |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32043 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295411N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0814109W |
| Event Location Airport | Haller Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7FL4 |
| 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 | 75 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1935 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSGJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15564 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 15 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2025 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N93WD |
| NTSB Number | MIA03LA109 |
| 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 | Bill Darling |
| Aircraft Model | Rans S9 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1287037 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 770 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 33.2 |
| Airframe Hours | 108.2 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George B. Tower Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5265 Air Park Loop West |
| Aircraft Owner City | Green Cove Springs |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32043 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7FL4 |
| Departure City | Green Cove Sprg |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1940 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 7FL4 |
| Destination City | Green Cove Sprg |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 19 2004 12:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2600 |
| Runway Width | 72 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |