Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802
Friday, May 13, 2005 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness, who was a relative of the pilot, watched the airplane fly past his house, and saw the pilot and the passenger's faces as they waved at him. The witness then returned inside his house, and shortly thereafter heard the airplane's engine increase power, then suddenly total silence, followed by the sounds of impact. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies, and evidence of a stall/spin impact attitude. The carburetor heat knob was found in the off position. Review of an FAA carburetor icing probability chart, placed the reported temperature and dew point in the "serious icing at glide power" range.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent impact with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Harrisonburg
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22802
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383146N
Event Location Longitude 0785312W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1140 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID SHD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.33
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) 18990
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 13 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dulles FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36973
NTSB Number IAD05LA063
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 Aeronca
Aircraft Model 65-TAC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number C3112TA
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Apr 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 4163
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James L Lum II
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Winchester
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22601
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Valley Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Winchester
Operator State VA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 22602
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 OKV
Departure City Winchester
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OKV
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 5 2005 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --