Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fort Stockton, Texas 79735
Saturday, May 8, 2004 18:22 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 821-hour commercial pilot lost engine power while in cruise flight at 2,500 feet mean sea level approximately 25 miles west of his intended destination. While en route, he noticed the oil temperature gauge indicated 240 degrees (red line was 145 degrees). The pilot reduced engine rpm from 2,400 to 2,200, and increased the airplane's mixture setting. The oil temperature began to decrease. Shortly after, the engine suddenly began to lose power. The pilot increased the mixture setting to "full rich", and applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to lose power. He was unable to maintain altitude and executed a forced landing to a service road on Interstate 10. Upon landing, the pilot was unable to keep the airplane straight due to the strong, gusting crosswinds and collided with a metal fence post and mesquite trees. Examination of the top and bottom spark plugs revealed the #2 and #4 plugs were oily, and the #1 and #3 plugs appeared white in color. The oil, which was changed approximately 8 hours before the accident, was dark in color. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot reported, "I probably leaned engine too much too long causing the oil temp[erature] to reach 240 degrees. Run aircraft more rich to provide better cooling to internal combustion chambers." Weather reported at an airport about 17 miles from the accident site were reported as wind from 130 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 24 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper leaning of the fuel/air mixture in-flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power. Factor were the wind gusts and the crosswind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/8/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1822 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fort Stockton |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79735 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 305456N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1025458W |
| 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 | 1753 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FST |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3011 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16283 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Southwest Region Office |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 8 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 29 2004 1:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Lubbock, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3708E |
| NTSB Number | FTW04LA124 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aeronca |
| Aircraft Model | 7AC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7AC-7009 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| 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 | Jan 14 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 1985 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Stanley Hoffpauir |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2014 North Mason Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Katy |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77449 |
| 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 | VHN |
| Departure City | Van Horn |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1710 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FST |
| Destination City | Fort Stockton |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 11:24AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| 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 | -- |