Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lancaster, South Carolina 29720
Wednesday, September 22, 2004 15:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated he was at the 2,000 feet, 3 miles north of Lancaster, South Carolina, when the engine had a partial loss of engine power. The engine rpm decreased to 3,800 rpm. The pilot turned on the auxiliary boost pump, the rpm increased, and decreased back to 3,800 rpm. The pilot pulled the choke out, the rpm increased, and decreased back to 3,800 rpm. The pilot stated, "I suspected fuel was not getting through the fuel line." The pilot made an emergency landing into a small field. The pilot stated, 'I misjudged my altitude during the approach and the right wing collided with a tree. The airplane turned to the right, the nose pitched down, and the airplane collided with the ground." Examination of the fuel system revealed the fuel tank was not ruptured. Water was present in the fuel filter and fuel supply line going from the main fuel tank to the engine. The fuel tank had a 5/16 inch hole drilled in the top of the main fuel tank covered by a piece of tape that was no longer sealing the hole. The tank contained 8 gallons of dark greenish looking fuel. "The fuel appeared to be a mixture of auto gas and avgas." The main fuel tank was removed and drained. Water was present in the fuel tank. The fuel tank had a low point bowl molded into it for water collection, however, there was no drain installed in order to sump the fuel tank. An examination of the kit instructions for the airplane showed the drawings indicated that a fuel sump drain was to be installed in the low point of the main fuel tank. The pilot and manufacturer stated he did not want to cut a hole in the bottom of the fuselage in the fabric to accommodate a drain.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power in-flight due to water ingestion and his misjudgment of obstacle clearance resulting in a collision with trees and the ground. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the manufactures instructions for installing a sump drain in the fuel system during construction of the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/22/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lancaster |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29720 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 344028N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0804050W |
| 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 | 1551 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CLT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 748 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 34 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2280 |
| 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) | 16661 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 22 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1645 |
| 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 | Columbia FSDO-13 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2079S |
| NTSB Number | ATL04CA191 |
| 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 | Pinkham |
| Aircraft Model | Challenger II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CH22017 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1050 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 27 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 13 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Lewis I. Pinkham |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7408 Veranda Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Waxhaw |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28173 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Lewis I.Pinkham |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7408 Veranda Drive |
| Operator City | Waxhaw |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28173 |
| 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 | N52 |
| Departure City | Waxhaw |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | T73 |
| Destination City | Lancaster |
| Destination State | SC |
| 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 8 2004 1:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |