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20130908018219A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Sweet Wayne A BUSHBY MUSTANG II · Woodstock, IL · September 8, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 8, 2013 · 18:00 local
Place
Woodstock, IL
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N54WS
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN13LA536
Reported as
Sweet Wayne A Bushby Mustang II
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-A1A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
957 total36 in this make and model23 in the last 90 days
N54WSRegistration cancelled May 11, 2015 · Sweet Wayne A BUSHBY MUSTANG IIS/N WS-1 · Built 1991Airframe modelSweet Wayne A BUSHBY MUSTANG IIEngine modelLycoming O-360-A1A4 cycle

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.

N54WS was enroute from council bluff airport (kcbf), Iowa to grayslake / campbell, IL (KC81) at an altitude of 2200 feet MSL. The pilot stated that the engine began to sputter. The pilot switched the fuel selector from the main tank to the aux tank, turned on the boost pump, advanced the throttle, prop and mixture full forward, however he stated he was unable to restore full power. The pilot further stated he landed under partial power. The aircraft landed in a soybean field near 9414 south route 14, Woodstock, IL. Upon impact the right wing contacted the ground, the aircraft rotated and remained upright.

Both the pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries.

Post accident investigation revealed the propeller was not under power at the time of impact. An inspection of the fuel system revealed little to no fuel in the main tank (left/right wings). The main tank fuel guages also indicated empty. The aux (fuselage) tank was full, and the fuel gauges indicated as such. Post accident engine run up revealed no mechanical deficiencies with the engine.

As the FAA filed it

N54WS WAS ENROUTE FROM COUNCIL BLUFF AIRPORT (KCBF), IOWA TO GRAYSLAKE / CAMPBELL, IL (KC81) AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2200 FEET MSL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE MAIN TANK TO THE AUX TANK, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, PROP AND MIXTURE FULL FORWARD, HOWEVER HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE FULL POWER. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED HE LANDED UNDER PARTIAL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A SOYBEAN FIELD NEAR 9414 SOUTH ROUTE 14, WOODSTOCK, IL. UPON IMPACT THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED AND REMAINED UPRIGHT.

BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.

POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PROPELLER WAS NOT UNDER POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. AN INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED LITTLE TO NO FUEL IN THE MAIN TANK (LEFT/RIGHT WINGS). THE MAIN TANK FUEL GUAGES ALSO INDICATED EMPTY. THE AUX (FUSELAGE) TANK WAS FULL, AND THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED AS SUCH. POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN UP REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE ENGINE.

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 CEN13LA536Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWoodstock, ILThe pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.Sep 8, 2013 · Substantial damage