Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plant City, Florida 33567
Sunday, November 29, 2009 11:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After takeoff, the flight proceeded to another airport where the pilot landed uneventfully and fueled at a self-service 100 low-lead (100LL) fuel pump. The airplane departed and proceeded towards the accident area where two witnesses on the ground reported hearing the engine sputter. One witness reported that the airplane flew low over his house with a rough-running engine. He additionally reported that the engine then lost power and the propeller stopped. The airplane pitched nose down indicative of a stall, then descended through tree before impacting the ground. A postaccident inspection of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Remnants of sealing compound from the wingtip tanks were found in the carburetor bowl but the discharge nozzle of the carburetor was not obstructed. Additionally, the fuel selector from the wingtip fuel tanks was noted to be faulty, allowing fuel to flow to the engine regardless of the position of the valve. No determination could be made as to the reason for the witness-reported loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Plant City
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33567
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275623N
Event Location Longitude 0820337W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 37
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27837
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2011 7:02PM
User who most recently changed record kelz
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72PC
NTSB Number ERA10LA086
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 COX
Aircraft Model BUSBY MUSTANG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M-231
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
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 Jan 14 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 2722
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name BERMAN DAVID H
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34235-3438
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BERMAN DAVID H
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SARASOTA
Operator State FL
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHN
Departure City Wauchula
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1124
Departure Time Zone EST
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 17 2010 10:59AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --