# Accident 20031007029359A: Waco CTO, Greenfield, IN, October 7, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2003, 17:00 local time
- Place: Greenfield, IN
- Airport: Popefield Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7903° N, 85.7361° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7903&lon=-85.7361&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9577H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9577H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Waco CTO (registry code 9601214, https://openairdocs.org/model/waco-cto) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Wright 760A B D E&ET (registry code 67009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-760a-b-d-e-et) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WACO CTO
- Reported engine: WRIGHT R7608
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 675 total, 505 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI04LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA005) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031007029359A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PRINCIPAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR'S STATEMENT: ON OCTOBER 8, 2003 INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE WERE DISPATCHED TO INVESTIGATE AN ACCIDENT NEAR GREENVILLE, IN. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE IT WAS NOTED THAT A WACO CTO N9577H, HAD BURNED IN PLACE. INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT MR. TOM LOZIER, REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: MR. LOZIER HAD DEPARTED POPE FIELD (GFD), IN GREENFIELD, IN. PREFLIGHT AND RUN UP HAD BEEN NORMAL AND TAKE OFF HAD BEEN UNEVENTFUL. WHILE IN CRUISE/CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FT. AGL THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT CYCLED THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE, AND MAGNETO SWITCH AND CHECKED THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE. NONE OF THE ACTIONS HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE ENGINE. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED A SOYBEAN FIELD AND SET UP FOR THE LANDING. HE TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH, FUEL VALVE, AND MAGNETO SWITCH. HE LANDED AND BOUNCED AND ROLLED OUT IN APPROXIMATELY 900 FT. INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE FIRE HAD CONSUMED THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH UPPER AND LOWER WINGS WERE BURNED OUT TO ABOUT THE OUTER 2/3'S OF THE SPAN. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER SUFFERED LITTLE DAMAGE. THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN THE HOTTEST ON THE LEFT SIDE FORWARD OF THE FRONT COCKPIT. THE FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED IN 3 PLACES. THE FUEL LINE FROM THE TANK TO THE SHUTOFF VALVE HAD THREE RUPTURES AND WAS MELTED OFF AT THE SHUTOFF VALVE. THE FUEL LINE FROM THE SHUTOFF VALVE TO THE GASCOLATOR WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE GASCOLATOR WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. DURING FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON 10/11/03, THE MAGNETO'S, AND SPARK PLUGS AND CONTINENTLY OF THE VALVE TRAIN AND ACCESSORY GEARBOX WERE CHECKED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. REVIEW OF THE CARBURETOR ICING CHART AND USING THE OBSERVATIONS FROM SHELBYVILLE, IN IT APPEARS THAT WITH THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT THE AIRCRAFT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MODERATE ICING IN CRUISE POWER. CONCLUSIONS: THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY AN UNKNOWN SOURCE AND WAS CENTERED IN THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE AND GASCOLATOR AREA, ON THE LEFT FORWARD SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 CHI04LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04LA005), Oct 7, 2003: Waco CTO (N9577H), Greenfield, IN, destroyed. Probable cause: The loss of engine power during cruise and subsequent fire for undetermined reasons.

## Other reports on N9577H (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19971004030052A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971004030052A), Oct 4, 1997: Waco CTO (N9577H), Cloverdale, IN, Substantial damage. While back taxiing on 28 collided with N75511 that was departing on same runway. (-23) on October 4, 1997, at approximately 2030 UTC, two aircraft, a…

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.

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