Caldwell Independent Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caldwell, Idaho 83605
Monday, June 20, 2011 12:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the skydiving airplane was performing the first takeoff of the day, and he had just raised the landing gear when the airplane experienced a complete loss of power in one of its two engines. There was still runway remaining, and the pilot made the decision to abort the takeoff. Because the airplane was at a very low altitude, the pilot was not sure that all three landing gear would fully extend before the airplane touched down. Therefore, he elected to keep the landing gear retracted, and the airplane touched down on the soft/rough terrain adjacent to the runway. Although no anomalies related to the engine were found, three pieces of poly-isoprene (synthetic rubber) were found in the fuel tank associated with the engine that lost power. Each individual piece was large enough to plug the orifice to the fuel boost pump, and it is likely that one or more of the pieces interrupted the fuel flow to the engine and resulted in the loss of power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of power in one engine during takeoff due to the blockage of fuel flow by a foreign object in the fuel tank.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Caldwell
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83605
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433831N
Event Location Longitude 1163809W
Event Location Airport Caldwell Independent Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KEUL
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 2430
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30406
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 29 2012 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3278Q
NTSB Number WPR11LA269
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 402
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 402-0078
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 1
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 17 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name JANES DENISE M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CALDWELL
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83607-9632
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name JANES DENISE M
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CALDWELL
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83607-9632
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) Skydiving
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KEUL
Departure City Caldwell
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KEUL
Destination City Caldwell
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2012 9:52AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --