Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Eagles Mere Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania 18619
Tuesady, August 31, 2010 10:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The antique biplane had recently undergone a complete restoration, including an overhaul of the engine. The accident flight was one of the first flights since the restoration was completed. After performing a preflight inspection, the pilot departed from the runway and during the takeoff climb, the engine "coughed," several times. The pilot checked the engine instruments and evaluated the engine condition, while remaining in the traffic pattern. After noticing no anomalies with the engine instruments, the pilot decided to fly to another airport, about 4 miles away. He landed uneventfully and taxied back for departure. Upon takeoff, as the airplane was about 3/4 down the runway, and at an altitude of about 150 feet, the engine lost power completely. The pilot was unable to land straight ahead due to trees and terrain, and decided to return to the airport. During the turn, the airplane stalled, and impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed that during the restoration, the inside of the fuel tank was coated with an FAA approved product specifically designed for sealing older fuel tanks. This coating peeled off in large sheets and collected in the sump of the tank, blocking the fuel supply to the carburetor.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of degradation of the fuel tank coating which blocked the fuel supply.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Eagles Mere |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18619 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412328N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0763641W |
| Event Location Airport | Eagles Mere Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 40PN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1900 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1054 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IPT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 529 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| 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) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28225 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern 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 8 2011 2:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N765N |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA458 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BIRD |
| Aircraft Model | CK |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CK4033 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 5 |
| Airframe Hours | 1516 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JENKINS GEORGE MERRITT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | ST DAVIDS |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19087-4418 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | JENKINS GEORGE MERRITT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ST DAVIDS |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19087-4418 |
| 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 | 40PN |
| Departure City | Eagles Mere |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 40PN |
| Destination City | Eagles Mere |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 8 2011 2:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12 |
| Runway Length | 2200 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |