Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Corona Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Corona, California 92880
Monday, June 4, 2007 10:45 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the day before the accident, the engine experienced a loss of power "from apparent fuel starvation." On the day of the accident, the pilot reported that before the flight he inspected and modified the fuel system. The pilot stated that he "installed fuel hose directly from tank to carb, bypassing gascolator and fuel flow sensor." The pilot then ran the engine at full power for five minutes before takeoff. The pilot successfully took off on runway 25 and at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the aircraft back towards the departure runway. While turning to line up with the grass along side the runway, the aircraft "sank out of the turn, collapsed left gear leg and bent left wing - landing in soft grass." The airplane came to a stop in the grass with it's nose on the ground and tail in the air. The pilot exited the airplane and pulled the tail back down. The pilot reported that he believed the malfunction was a "fuel flow fault." Approximately 12 gallons of automotive fuel was on board at the time. Federal Aviation Administration airmen records indicated that the pilot does not hold airframe or powerplant mechanic certificates.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power during the initial climb due to a fuel system malfunction. The pilot's incorrect maintenance modification to the fuel system and continued operation with known deficiencies were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/4/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1045 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Corona |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92880 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335351N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1173608W |
| Event Location Airport | CORONA MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | L66 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 533 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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) | 22079 |
| NTSB Notification Source | LAX-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2007 12:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N45BH |
| NTSB Number | SEA07CA144 |
| 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 | Billings/Humbyrd |
| Aircraft Model | Thorpe T-18 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T515 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 763 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Savage Air Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Culver City |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90232 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Benjamin H. Savage |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Culver City |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 90232 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | L66 |
| Departure City | CORONA |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1045 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RIR |
| Destination City | RIVERSIDE/RUBID |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 12 2007 6:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 3200 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |