Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cloverdale, Indiana 46120
Thursday, June 30, 2005 19:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power on initial climb. The pilot stated, "At [approximately] 250 [feet above ground level] on the climb and over the departure end of the runway, the engine cut out. I immediately leveled off, applied carb heat [and] reduced throttle; the engine 'caught' and I began a left bank turn to provide room for a right turn to land back on our strip; simultaneously, I attempted to gain altitude; the engine cut out again. ... I had insufficient altitude and airspeed to make it over the sign and could not increase my right bank angle, so I went to the left (north) of the sign and impacted the ground at minimum airspeed next to the sign." The engine was test run and no pre-impact anomalies were found with the engine or airframe. The pilot's safety recommendation stated, "This [aircraft] was a recently purchased 'experimental' [aircraft]. During the investigation, we discovered the fuel tanks had only one outlet - in the center on the end of each tank, meaning 1/2 fuel level or less was insufficient in a climb or glide attitude. Had that info been available, the accident could have been avoided!"

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The fuel starvation leading to the loss of engine power during takeoff. Factors were the pilot's insufficient information on the fuel system and the sign that had to be circumnavigated during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/2005
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Cloverdale
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46120
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393156N
Event Location Longitude 0864956W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 18418
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
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 Indianapolis, IN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64MF
NTSB Number CHI05CA161
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mueller
Aircraft Model Stewart Headwind B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1MM
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Vernon E. Bothwell Jr
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8806 S County Road 125 E
Aircraft Owner City Cloverdale
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46120
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 II07
Departure City CLOVERDALE
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 15 2005 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --