Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Junction City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Junction City, Kansas 66441
Thursday, April 13, 2006 19:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported making a normal takeoff and climb out. At about 200 feet above the ground, the pilot said the engine lost power without any prior warning. The pilot immediately executed a forced landing. On touchdown, the pilot applied "hard brakes" to avoid a ravine at the end of the grass strip. The airplane subsequently nosed over on its back causing substantial damage to the top wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. An examination of the engine showed that the fuel lines had been routed within 1-1/4 inches of the dual exhaust pipes. FAA requirements for certified airplanes requires a minimum of 6 inches separation due to the potential for fuel in the lines to boil and subsequently cause a vapor lock in the lines. No other anomalies were found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Vapor lock which resulted in total engine failure and the pilot's abrupt brake application on touchdown. Factors contributing to the accident were the improper design of the fuel system resulting in the misrouting of the fuel lines close to the exhaust pipes, and the short landing area.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1945 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Junction City |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 66441 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 390236N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0965036W |
| Event Location Airport | Junction City Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3JC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1101 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SLN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1330 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 41 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 10 |
| 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) | 29.8 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20160 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Central Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2006 3:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Wichita, KS FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7JC |
| NTSB Number | DEN06LA063 |
| 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 | Rumble/Williams/Boomhower |
| Aircraft Model | Starduster II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 743 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1610 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 345 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jaybee, Ltd. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 1727 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Junction City |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 66441 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 3JC |
| Departure City | Junction City |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1945 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 8KS8 |
| Destination City | Chapman |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 1 2006 11:40AM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 1927 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |