Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tomah, Wisconsin 54660
Saturday, July 5, 2003 9:12 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed and both occupants fatally injured during a forced landing attempt to a field. A witness reported that the airplane appeared to be having engine problems prior to the accident. Other witnesses described the airplane spinning to the ground. Control system continuity was verified during the postaccident examination. Examination of the engine revealed no fuel present in the carburetors, or intake manifold. There was a tear found in the fuel pressure regulator diaphragm. However, according to an engine manufacturer's representative, a tear in the fuel pressure regulator diaphragm would result in excess fuel being pumped by the fuel pumps directly into the intake manifold of the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall/spin during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 912
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Tomah
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54660
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 455622N
Event Location Longitude 0903441W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CMY
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16671
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 3 2004 9:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N216ST
NTSB Number CHI03LA201
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McIlraith
Aircraft Model Sea Rey
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1MK216
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Oct 27 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 100.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stuart M McIlraith
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2130 Grandview Pl
Aircraft Owner City La Crosse
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54601
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 Y72
Departure City TOMAH
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LSE
Destination City LA CROSSE
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2004 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --