Sunrise Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Granite Shoals, Texas 78654
Saturday, March 24, 2012 18:24 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane within a mile of the departure airport and hearing the engine sputter before a total loss of engine power. One witness stated that it sounded like the engine was starved of fuel. The airplane then descended and impacted a tree and terrain. A postaccident examination of the amateur-built airplane revealed that about 75 percent of the carburetor fuel screen was blocked by dirt and debris, which would have decreased the fuel flow to the engine, resulting in a partial loss of engine power. The examination also revealed that duct tape was used to patch holes in the fabric skin and on a fuel line connection, and "C" clamps that were used to support the wing rib to spar attachments. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered during the investigation; however, the overall condition of the airplane suggests that it had not been properly maintained. The level of postmortem ethanol detected in the pilot's blood, urine, and vitreous fluid would have caused significant impairment; however, the pilot was soaked in gasoline as a result of the accident and postmortem exposure to gasoline containing ethanol has been shown to result in positive ethanol results. Therefore, it cannot be determined what portion, if any, of the ethanol found post mortem was from ingestion. The pilot's impairment from both hydrocodone and tramadol most likely degraded his decision-making ability.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a contaminated carburetor fuel screen. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from medications that degraded his decision-making and the pilot's improper maintenance of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1824
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Granite Shoals
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78654
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303535N
Event Location Longitude 0982339W
Event Location Airport Sunrise Beach Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2KL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 175
Airport Elevation 854
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1835 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 152
Weather Observation Facility ID DZB
Elevation of weather observation facility 1093
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
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) 29.96
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33421
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ASW-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 7 2014 5:20PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N416FC
NTSB Number CEN12LA203
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 ENBODY FRANK
Aircraft Model GY 201 MINICAB
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 89
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ENBODY FRANK R
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City HORSESHOE BAY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78657-6211
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ENBODY FRANK R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City HORSESHOE BAY
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 78657-6211
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 --
Departure City Sunrise Beach
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1822
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Sunrise Beach
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2014 3:08PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --