Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Iowa City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Iowa City, Iowa 52246
Thursday, July 3, 2008 17:55 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during the takeoff in his homebuilt replica of a Curtis Hawk P6E, the engine suddenly lost power. He stated that the airplane was equipped with a backup ignition and a backup electric fuel pump. He stated that he was in the process of switching from the primary systems to the backup when he inadvertently stalled the airplane. He stated that there were no deficiencies in the flight control system of the airplane. A fire ensued and the pilot stated that it was his belief that the fire started before the airplane's impact with the ground. The airplane was powered by a converted Chevrolet 8 cylinder water-cooled engine. Examination of the engine subsequent to the accident revealed no deficiencies with the engine, but the accessories such as the carburetor and ignition systems had been destroyed by the fire. A broken fuel line fitting was found but no determination could be made as to whether the break occured prior to impact or if it was a result of the impact.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason and the pilot's subsequent failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/3/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1755 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Iowa City |
| Event State | IOWA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 52246 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Iowa City Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IOW |
| 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 | 668 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1752 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IOW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 668 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KIOW 032252Z AUTO 05007KT 10SM BKN065 25/12 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25406 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 4 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 7 2009 11:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Des Moines, Iowa |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N386PE |
| NTSB Number | CHI08LA189 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Roof |
| Aircraft Model | Curtis Hawk P6E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-238 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2050 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 45 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Keith Roof |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | North Liberty |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 52317 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Keith Roof |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | North Liberty |
| Operator State | IA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 52317 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | IOW |
| Departure City | Iowa City |
| Departure State | IA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1755 |
| 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 | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 1 2009 10:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 30 |
| Runway Length | 3900 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |