Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Phillipsburg Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Phillipsburg, Kansas 67661
Saturday, December 15, 2007 22:50 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was in cruise flight in VFR conditions at 8,500 feet msl when there was a "sudden loss of engine rpm." Vectors were given to the nearest airport approximately 8 miles away. Unable to glide to the airport, the pilot attempted to land in a snow-covered field using what little moonlight there was available. The airplane collided with trees and terrain and caught fire. Post-accident examination revealed no engine anomalies. Disassembly of the carburetor revealed a brown gooey substance in the inlet fuel screen and float valve, restricting movement of the latter. FTIR analysis of the substance by NTSB's materials laboratory revealed it to be "most likely an inorganic compound." EDS analysis of the various samples revealed high peaks of carbon, while other samples had high peaks of sulfur, and still others high peaks of calcium silicon. The laboratory report noted that when aviation gasoline evaporates, various additives, such as anti-knock compounds, dyes, inhibitors and anti-icing compounds, remain in the form of a gum.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Total loss of engine power due to contamination of the carburetor, total blockage of the fuel inlet screen, and partial blockage of the fuel lines and fittings. Contributing to the accident were the dark night light conditions and the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/15/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2250 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Phillipsburg |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67661 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394415N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0991903W |
| Event Location Airport | Phillipsburg Municipal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PHG |
| 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 | 1907 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2253 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 285 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MCK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1887 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 85 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | -13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24716 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Central Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 15 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 16 2008 9:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Wichita, Kansas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N63LH |
| NTSB Number | DEN08LA041 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | North Counrtry Flight LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 12 Clough St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Potsdam |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 13676 |
| 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 | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | JYR |
| Departure City | York |
| Departure State | NE |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2100 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LVS |
| Destination City | Las Vegas |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 16 2008 10:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |