# Accident 19980711016479A: Amtr WAGABOND, Wasilla, AK, July 11, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 11, 1998, 13:00 local time - Place: Wasilla, AK - Airport: Wasilla Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.5196° N, 149.5700° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5196&lon=-149.5700&mi=10 - Aircraft: N36GM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36GM-2017-04-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Meeuwsen Gordon WAGABOND TRAVELER (registry code 05655Z9, https://openairdocs.org/model/meeuwsen-gordon-wagabond-traveler) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR WAGABOND - Reported engine: LYC O235C2C - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA094) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980711016479A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ROUGH ENGINE POWER LOSS ON CLIMBOUT. LANDED ON ROAD. STRUCK ROAD SIGN. RUST DEBRIS IN CARB BOWL. POSSIBLE WATER. (.4) ON JULY 11, 1998, ABOUT 1300 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A N EXPERIMENTAL/HOMEBUILT MEEUWSEN WAGABOND AIRPLANE, N36GM, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROADWAY, ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF WASILLA, ALASKA. THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO, AND OPERATED BY, THE PILOT. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON JULY 13, 1998, AT 1105, THE PILOT REPORTED THE FOLLOWING: HE RECENTLY COMPLETED A FLIGHT FROM CALIFORNIA, THROUGH CANADA, TO WASILLA. DURING THE TRIP THROUGH CANADA, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED RUST DEPOSITS IN THE FUEL SUPPLY. HE DRAINED THE AIRPLANE FUEL SUMP BEFORE EACH FLIGHT UNTIL NO RUST DEPOSITS WERE OBSERVED. THE AIRPLANE HAS TWO, METAL WING MOUNTED FUEL TANKS. THE TANKS DO NOT HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL SUMP. THE ONLY FUEL SUMP IS AN AIRFRAME GASCOLATOR. PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT SAID HE DRAINED ABOUT A QUART OF FUEL FROM THE SUMP, AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY CONTAMINATION. THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP ADJACENT TO COTTONWOOD LAKE IN WASILLA. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE LAKE, AND SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POPPING AND BANGING NOISES, AND BEGAN LOSING RPM. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND LEANED THE FUEL MIXTURE. THE ENGINE SPEED RECOVERED TO ABOUT 2200 RPM, BUT CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT REPORTED HE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL CARBURETOR HEAT AND MIXTURE COMBINATIONS, BUT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT GAIN ANY ALTITUDE. AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 1 MILE OVER THE LAKE, THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING AN AREA OF TREES AND A ROADWAY WITH ADJACENT ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. THE PILOT SAID HE SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA ON THE ROADWAY AND DOVE THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE GROUND BETWEEN SEVERAL SETS OF POWER LINES. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON THE ROADWAY, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A STOP SIGN. THE PILOT SAID HE THEN APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER TO INTENTIONALLY SWERVE THE AIRPLANE INTO A DITCH. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION(FAA) AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, ANCHORAGE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE AFTER THE PILOT/OWNER RECOVERED THE AIRPLANE. THE INSPECTOR INDICATED THE PILOT HAD FUELED THE AIRPLANE WITH AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE FROM GAS CANS. THE CARBURETOR AND THE AIRFRAME GASCOLATOR HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED BY THE PILOT. THE INSPECTOR NOTED THE GASCOLATOR APPEARED TO BE CLEAN. THE INTERIOR OF THE CARBURETOR BOWL EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF RUST. (-23) ON JULY 11, 1998, EXPERIMENTAL/AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT N36GM DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP LOCATED BETWEEN COTTONWOOD LAKE AND MUD LAKE NEAR WASILLA, ALASKA. ON CLIMB-OUT OVER COTTONWOOD LAKE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL CARB HEAT/MIXTURE COMBINATIONS. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON A SUBDIVISION ROAD THAT WAS FREE OF TRAFFIC. ON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A ROAD SIGN, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PLANE CAME TO REST IN THE DITCH. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES. WHEN THE CARBURETOR AND GASCOLATOR WERE DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED, THE CARB WAS DRY OF FUEL AT THE TIME BUT WAS NOTED THAT THE BOWL HAD RUSTY METAL FLAKES IN IT AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL SHAFT WAS RUSTY INDICATING THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN STANDING WATER IN IT. THE GASCOLATOR WAS FOUND CLEAN. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA094), Jul 11, 1998: Meeuwsen Wagabond (N36GM), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Other reports on N36GM (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20020619012759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020619012759A), Jun 19, 2002: Amtr WAGABONDTVEL (N36GM), Talkeetna, AK, No damage. (-23) Airman was taxiing on a gravel bar downwind to a parking spot. The aircraft nosed over when a gust of wind struck the aircraft from behind. - [Incident 19920806037129I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920806037129I), Aug 6, 1992: Amtrwa WAGABOND (N36GM), Hickory, NC. Pilot landed in control zone without ATC clearance. Departed without clearance. Ground looped on landing. - [Incident 19901216062489I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901216062489I), Dec 16, 1990: Amtrwa WAGABOND (N36GM), Annapolis, CA, Minor damage. Engine failed. Forced landing in field. Left fuel tank cap missing. Had negative pressure fuel starvation. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.