Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spicewood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Spicewood, Texas 78669
Thursday, June 4, 2009 20:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was on departure when the engine started sputtering and lost power. The pilot turned toward the runway and landed beside the runway in the dirt, substantially damaging the airplane. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel flow sensor, which was located upstream of the fuel flow filter, was clogged with an unidentified substance and there was particulate matter in the fuel lines. The source of the substances could not be determined. The experimental airplane manufacturer installed the fuel flow sensor upstream of the fuel flow filter as depicted on a fuel flow schematic, provided for information only, by the airplane airframe kit manufacturer. The installation instructions for the fuel flow sensor indicated the fuel flow sensor should be installed downstream of a fuel filter.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the presence of an unidentified contaminant in the fuel system which clogged the fuel flow sensor. Contributing to the accident was the manufacturer’s installation of the fuel flow sensor upstream of the fuel filter and the misleading fuel schematic published by the airplane kit manufacturer.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/4/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2000 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Spicewood |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78669 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 382841n |
| Event Location Longitude | 0980716w |
| Event Location Airport | Spicewood Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 88R |
| 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 | 830 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2007 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RYW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 8:07 PM 80.6 °F 48.2 °F 32% 29.98 in 10.0 miles |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26669 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Burnett County Sheriff |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 23 2010 4:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N922TP |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA341 |
| 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 | HUSTON CHARLES D |
| Aircraft Model | PITTS S-12 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 188 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 3 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 19 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HUSTON CHARLES D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3900 LAGUNA VISTA CV |
| Aircraft Owner City | AUSTIN |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78746-3712 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HUSTON CHARLES D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3900 LAGUNA VISTA CV |
| Operator City | AUSTIN |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 78746-3712 |
| 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 | 88R |
| Departure City | Spicewood |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 88R |
| Destination City | Spicewood |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 23 2010 4:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 4185 |
| Runway Width | 30 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |