Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Three Castles Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wonewoc, Wisconsin 53968
Monday, April 1, 2013 12:20 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that, during the flight before the accident flight, the engine began running roughly during cruise flight with the right wing fuel tank selected. After attempting to resolve the issue by applying carburetor heat, he made a precautionary landing at a nearby grass airstrip. After landing, the pilot loosened the right fuel tank cap and heard a "whoosh" sound and the metal fuel tank "crinkle." The pilot stated that he thought he had resolved the fuel tank venting issue when he removed the right fuel tank cap. After spending 30 minutes on the ground, the pilot restarted the engine with both fuel tanks selected and performed an uneventful engine run-up before departing. Shortly after takeoff, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot executed a forced landing into a marsh. A postaccident examination revealed that the external and cross-tank vent lines were obstructed by foreign material likely deposited by insects. In this condition, the engine responded to cockpit controls during an operational test run. Following the engine test run, the right fuel tank cap was loosened, and a "whoosh" sound was heard. Testing of the right fuel cap revealed a restriction to the flapper-valve assembly, which prevented air from passing freely through the vented cap as designed. The combination of a restricted vented fuel cap and the obstructed vent lines likely prevented the fuel from flowing to the engine and resulted in fuel starvation and the total loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The restricted vented fuel cap and obstructed fuel vent lines, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/1/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1220 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wonewoc |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 53968 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 434012N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0901357W |
| Event Location Airport | Three Castles Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 4D1 |
| 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 | 921 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1155 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 357 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VOK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 912 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 18 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 23 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KVOK 011755Z 27015G22KT 10SM FEW045 M00/M10 |
| 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) | 32109 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Duty Officer, Craig Hatch |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 17 2013 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8033B |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA216 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 29833 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 21 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4488 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Pilot/Owner |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rockford |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 61114-6553 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Pilot/Owner |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Rockford |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 61114-6553 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PKF |
| Departure City | Park Falls |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 3K6 |
| Destination City | St Jacob |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 17 2013 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 2740 |
| Runway Width | 90 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |