Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Smith-Stewart Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Vienna, Ohio 44446
Saturday, October 29, 2011 16:46 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The experimental amateur-built airplane impacted trees and terrain after a loss of engine power during takeoff. The pilot reported that the initial takeoff roll was normal and described the subsequent loss of power during the climb as gradual and continuing. Although postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that one of the engine's spark plug wire terminals was not attached to its respective spark plug, the pilot’s description of a gradual power loss during the climb was not consistent with a spark plug wire detachment, which would have resulted in a rapid loss of power. According to a Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing chart, the temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing. The pilot attributed the loss of engine power to carburetor ice. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the spark plug wire became dislodged from the spark plug during the impact sequence, and the loss of engine power was a result of carburetor icing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power during climb after takeoff due to carburetor icing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/29/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1646 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Vienna |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44446 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411235N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0804059W |
| Event Location Airport | Smith-Stewart Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 79OH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1092 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1651 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | YNG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1191 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| 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) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 201110292251 METAR KYNG 292251Z 11003KT 10SM FEW08 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31221 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-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 23 2013 10:31AM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N486LB |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA049 |
| 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 | BROCHETTI LOUIS |
| Aircraft Model | PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2 |
| 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 | Oct 10 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 419 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CATCHPOLE RONALD D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WARREN |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44484-1112 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | CATCHPOLE RONALD D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WARREN |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 44484-1112 |
| 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 | 79OH |
| Departure City | Vienna |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1645 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 62D |
| Destination City | Warren |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 29 2013 3:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 1800 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |