Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Salem, West Virginia 26426
Sunday, April 15, 2012 17:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was attempting the first flight since the airplane was damaged in an accident about 2 years earlier and then “rebuilt.” Shortly after takeoff, the engine sputtered and lost all power. While the pilot was attempting to maneuver for a forced landing, the airplane collided with trees and terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and serious injuries to the pilot. Examination of the engine and fuel system revealed that the pistons were severely scored, indicative of a seizure. Examinations revealed that nonaviation tie wraps were used to secure the fuel lines to various fittings, and, in one location, no clamp was used. The airplane was equipped with an in-line fuel flow transducer. Disassembly of the engine revealed that the transducer incorporated a 2-millimeter (mm) jet. According to the engine manufacturer, no device with a diameter smaller than 5 mm should be installed anywhere in the fuel system. The transducer was installed on a test engine, and the engine ran normally up to 7,100 rpm with the 2-mm jet. When a small amount of air was introduced into the lines to replicate a poorly secured or unsecured fuel line, low fuel pressure and fluctuating rpm resulted, and subsequent examinations of the pistons showed signs of scoring damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to a piston seizure that resulted from a fuel system restriction and poorly secured fuel lines. Contributing to the accident were the pilot/builder’s failure to follow the engine manufacturer procedures and his use of nonaviation parts to secure fuel lines.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/15/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1730 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Salem |
| Event State | WEST VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 26426 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 391659N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803654W |
| Event Location Airport | Private Airstrip |
| 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 | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1100 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CKB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1217 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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) | 31116 |
| 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 | Mar 21 2013 3:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2828W |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA285 |
| 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 | WILLOUGHBY PETE A |
| Aircraft Model | STREAK SHADOW |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | OSS912260003 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 900 |
| 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 | Apr 12 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 101 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MARTIN JOSEPH K |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RR 3 BOX 120 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALEM |
| Aircraft Owner State | WV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 26426-9217 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MARTIN JOSEPH K |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | RR 3 BOX 120 |
| Operator City | SALEM |
| Operator State | WV |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 26426-9217 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Salem |
| Departure State | WV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1730 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Salem |
| Destination State | WV |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 21 2013 3:20PM |
| 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 | -- |