Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Joplin, Missouri 64801
Saturday, April 3, 2004 10:34 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported the airplane had about 54 gallons of fuel on board. He reported the flight normally took one hour and twenty minutes to complete. During the VFR approach for landing, the engine suddenly quit. The pilot performed the emergency procedure checklist for engine restart but without success. He established a 85 mph glide airspeed and executed a forced landing to a highway. He reported that he "held the aircraft 6 or 8 feet above the highway until the aircraft could no longer fly." The airplane contacted the highway wings level but the nose gear collapsed, and then the left and right main gear collapsed. The right wing impacted a road sign and the left wing was sheared off at the wing root when it struck two steel posts. The pilot exited the airplane. He reported smelling fuel and that fuel was "running out of the right tip tank." The inspection of the engine revealed that all cylinders exhibited thumb compression, and spark was verified from both magnetos to all ignition leads. All spark plugs were in good condition. Fuel was found in the supply line to the engine driven fuel pump. The engine driven fuel pump was disassembled and proper operation was verified.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. The posts, unsuitable terrain and signs were factors to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1034
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Joplin
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64801
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 370906N
Event Location Longitude 0942953W
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 953 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID JLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 16052
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1640
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA Kansas City, MO FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5223K
NTSB Number CHI04LA098
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 Navion
Aircraft Model B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number NAV 4-2123B
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 4654
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Peter Farmer
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4170 Highway 38
Aircraft Owner City Ward
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72176
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 --
Departure City Lonoke
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 910
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JLN
Destination City Joplin
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 13 2004 8:04AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --