Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spitfire Aerodrome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pedricktown, New Jersey 08067
Friday, July 6, 2007 16:04 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The first pilot, an airline transport pilot, reported that the second pilot, a private pilot, had just purchased the accident airplane, but did not yet possess the required high performance logbook endorsements needed to operate the airplane. The accident occurred as the pair were ferrying the airplane to the second pilot's home airport. According to the first pilot, both of the airplane's wing-mounted fuel tanks were filled to capacity just before departure. During his subsequent preflight inspection, the first pilot obtained fuel samples from the airplane's fuel sump drain ports, and none of the fuel samples contained any contaminates or water. The second pilot was flying the airplane, and just after takeoff, about 500 feet agl, all engine power was lost. The first pilot took control of the airplane in an attempt to re-establish engine power, but his attempts were unsuccessful, and he selected an open field as a forced landing site. During the emergency landing the airplane collided with rough and uneven terrain, and sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the accident scene on the accident date, and reported that he drained about 4 ounces of water from the airplane's left fuel tank and gascolator. He said that the airplane's gascolator contained a sandy, gritty white substance. The airplane's fuel injector screen also contained trace amounts of rusty-colored water. The engine was subsequently started and it produced full power. The FAA inspector also reported that the airplane had been stored outside before the accident, and that heavy rains had been reported in the area 2 or 3 days before the accident. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were discovered during the inspector's postaccident inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The first pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and water contamination of the airplane's fuel system. A factor contributing to the accident was rough/uneven terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/6/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1604 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pedricktown |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 08067 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394408N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0752351W |
| Event Location Airport | Spitfire Aerodrome |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7N7 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 40 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 36 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.87 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23410 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 6 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 30 2008 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia, PA FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N52650 |
| NTSB Number | ANC07LA063 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 177RG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 177RG1230 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1549 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jon D. Norwood |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Damon |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77430 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Hugh R. Hunton |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Keithville |
| Operator State | LA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 71047 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 7N7 |
| Departure City | Pedricktown |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1604 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LBX |
| Destination City | ANGLETON/LAKE J |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 7 2008 7:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 2419 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |