Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kickapoo Downtown Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wichita Falls, Texas 76302
Sunday, September 14, 2008 9:07 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot took off on a flight and intended to remain in the traffic pattern. Winds were from 010 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 20 knots. A carburetor icing chart showed the potential for "moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power." Through a GPS and engine monitoring system, the accident flight was able to be partially reconstructed. Upon takeoff the airplane turned left and entered the downwind leg. As the airplane was rolling out on the downwind, a throttle reduction was recorded. The airplane continued on the south-southwest on the downwind leg for at least 14 seconds. As the airplane approached the base turn, the first recorded attempt to actuate the throttle is recorded as an increase in manifold pressure and spike in fuel flow. Manifold pressure fluctuates as the airplane make the base turn to final. Approximately 3/4 through the base turn, the airplane rolled out and flew a straight approach to the open field. Several witnesses observed the airplane approaching the open field without engine power. After "barely clearing" a transmission wire, the airplane was observed to quickly roll right and impact the ground "nose first." These statements are consistent with the airplane entering a stall/spin. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies which would have precluded production of the engine power or the safe operation of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain safe flying airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall during the forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/14/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 907 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wichita Falls |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76302 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | KICKAPOO DOWNTOWN AIRPARK |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CWC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1003 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 905 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 350 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CWC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1003 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25272 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center FTW |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 14 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 29 2009 3:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Worth |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N571JH |
| NTSB Number | DFW08FA228 |
| 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 | American Champion (ACAC) |
| Aircraft Model | 7GCBC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1412-2006 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 14 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6.3 |
| Airframe Hours | 22.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jeffrey V. Harrington |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wichita Falls |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76310 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Jeffrey V. Harrington |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Wichita Falls |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76310 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CWC |
| Departure City | WICHITA FALLS |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 904 |
| 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 | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 17 2009 10:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | aguj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 4450 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |