Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Crystal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429
Thursday, April 22, 2004 7:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane impacted a power pole and trees during a forced landing after a loss of engine power during initial climb. According to the pilot, prior to the accident flight the airplane was completely fueled and fuel samples he took during the aircraft preflight were not contaminated with water. The pilot stated the airplane was taxied on the right main fuel tank, and he switched to the left fuel tank prior to takeoff as required by the pilot operating handbook. The pilot reported that he experienced an uneventful takeoff ground run, rotation, and initial climb until approximately 150 feet above ground level (agl) when the engine lost power suddenly. The pilot reported he switched fuel tank positions, verified the magneto switch was on both, and the throttle and mixture controls were fully advanced. The pilot reported, "Because of the suddenness and completeness of the loss of [engine] power, I suspected either fuel starvation or an ignition problem." The pilot stated, "I changed the tank selector at least two more times, and got ready to crash." The pilot stated that a landing on the departure runway was not an option and he maneuvered the airplane in between two houses prior to striking a power pole and several trees. A first responder reported the fuel selector was found in the "off" position upon his arrival at the accident site. The pilot reportedly said he did not reposition the fuel selector after the accident. The engine was subjected to an operational test-run. The engine started without hesitation and ran at idle power (~700 rpm) without any anomalies. The engine responded to brief throttle increases (~1,200 rpm) prior to being shutdown. The engine was not run above 1,200 rpm due to a damaged propeller.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot not verifying the position of the fuel selector prior to the takeoff, resulting in the loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation. Factors to the accident were the power pole and the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/22/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 745 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Minneapolis |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55429 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 450342N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0932112W |
| Event Location Airport | Crystal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MIC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 240 |
| Airport Elevation | 869 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 753 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MIC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 869 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| 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) | 3 |
| 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) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -578 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15650 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 22 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 914 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Federal Aviation Administration - Minneapolis FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N82943 |
| NTSB Number | CHI04CA108 |
| 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-18-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-7809028 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1750 |
| 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 | Feb 12 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 1229.89 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Headwaters Super Cub, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1725 Emerson Avenue South |
| Aircraft Owner City | Minneapolis |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55403 |
| 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 | MIC |
| Departure City | Minneapolis |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 745 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MGG |
| Destination City | Maple Lake |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 26 2004 2:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24L |
| Runway Length | 2122 |
| Runway Width | 202 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |