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19980516009489A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Univar 415-C · New Lisbon, NY · May 16, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 16, 1998 · 13:50 local
Place
New Lisbon, NY
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3230H
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC98FA107
Reported as
Univar 415C
Reported engine
Continental C7512
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
2,300 total
N3230HRegistration cancelled Nov 6, 2012 · Engineering & Research 415-CS/N 3855 · Built 1946Airframe modelEngineering & Research 415-CEngine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Fuel transfer pump failed. No compression NR2 cylinder. Lost power. Crashed landed. (.4) approximately 20 minutes after the pilot and passenger departed on a local flight a witness heard the engine sputter then quit. The airplane then maneuvered for an open field, impacted it in a level attitude, and burst into flames. During examination of the number 2 piston a hole from detonation (according to a FAA advisory circular detonation can burn a hole completely through a piston) approximately 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide was observed. At the accident location, grass laid over on its side and spaced constant with the airplane's landing gear marked the start of the debris field. These marks were subtle and continued in the direction of the wreckage for about 12 feet. After 12 feet, the slope increased and the marks became more pronounced. From the air, this slope produced the illusion of being level, but it measured 15 degrees up. (-23) engine driven fuel transfer pump failed. Fuel not transferred to header fuel tank. Gravity feed of fuel to carburetor. #2 cylinder no compression, due to burnt hole in piston.

As the FAA filed it

FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILED. NO COMPRESSION NR2 CYLINDER. LOST POWER. CRASHED LANDED. (.4) APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A LOCAL FLIGHT A WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER THEN QUIT. THE AIRPLANE THEN MANEUVERED FOR AN OPEN FIELD, IMPACTED IT IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, AND BURST INTO FLAMES. DURING EXAMINATION OF THE NUMBER 2 PISTON A HOLE FROM DETONATION (ACCORDING TO A FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR DETONATION CAN BURN A HOLE COMPLETELY THROUGH A PISTON) APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH LONG AND 1/4 INCH WIDE WAS OBSERVED. AT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, GRASS LAID OVER ON ITS SIDE AND SPACED CONSTANT WITH THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR MARKED THE START OF THE DEBRIS FIELD. THESE MARKS WERE SUBTLE AND CONTINUED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE WRECKAGE FOR ABOUT 12 FEET. AFTER 12 FEET, THE SLOPE INCREASED AND THE MARKS BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED. FROM THE AIR, THIS SLOPE PRODUCED THE ILLUSION OF BEING LEVEL, BUT IT MEASURED 15 DEGREES UP. (-23) ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILED. FUEL NOT TRANSFERRED TO HEADER FUEL TANK. GRAVITY FEED OF FUEL TO CARBURETOR. #2 CYLINDER NO COMPRESSION, DUE TO BURNT HOLE IN PISTON.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98FA107Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportNew Lisbon, NYDetonation within the No. 2 cylinder resulting in melting and breaching of the piston, and the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Contributing factors were the uphill terrain encountered during the landing and the visual perception…May 16, 1998 · Destroyed