The Farm Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leesville, South Carolina 29070
Saturday, October 23, 2004 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The operator was offering airplane rides to citizens in the area as part of a community event sponsored by the operator. Shortly after the airplane took off, during a climbing left turn, the engine sputtered several times before the airplane disappeared behind a tree line. The accident site was approximately 1/4 statute mile from the departure end of runway 31. The examination of the fuel system revealed fuel present in the carburetor bowl, hand-driven fuel pump, engine-driven fuel pump, and carburetor fuel strainer. The fuel selector was observed in the reserve normal left tank position, fuel present in tank selected, and all ports were free of debris. Examination of engine components revealed that sediment was in the carburetor bowl, hand-driven fuel pump, engine-driven fuel pump screen, and carburetor fuel strainer. Examination of the low fuel pressure warning light in the cockpit revealed that the filament within the bulb glass contained gross elongation of the filament coils and was heavily distorted, features consistent with receiving an impact while hot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination which blocked the flow of fuel which resulted in fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Leesville
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29070
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335500N
Event Location Longitude 0812400W
Event Location Airport The Farm
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 600
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 76
Weather Observation Facility ID kcae
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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) 18563
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2005 6:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Columbia FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92871
NTSB Number ATL05LA009
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 North American
Aircraft Model Harvard II T-6
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 66-2633
Certified Max Gross Weight 5167
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 8 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 10047
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name T-6 LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2404 Edmund Highway
Aircraft Owner City West Columbia
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29170
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name T-6 LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2404 Edmund Hwy
Operator City West Columbia
Operator State SC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 29170
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 --
Departure City Leesville
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 19 2005 10:59AM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 180
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --