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20161110023199A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · North American NAVION · Blairstown, NJ · November 10, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 10, 2016 · 09:30 local
Place
Blairstown, NJ
Airport
Blairstown
Phase of flight
Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8849H
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA17LA042
Reported as
North American Navion
Reported engine
Continental E185 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
N8849HRegistration cancelled Mar 2, 2018 · North American NAVIONS/N NAV-4-849 · Built 1947Airframe modelNorth American NAVIONEngine modelContinental E185 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.

This accident occurred just after the aircraft was fueled for a ferry flight to capital city airport, harrisburg, PA. A mechanic at the airport taxied the aircraft to the fuel tank from across the airport and stated he performed a runup for Mr. Singer. The runup was normal with no issues noted. Mr. Singer then fueled the aircraft and preflighted the aircraft for the trip to capital city. He then climbed in and started the engine. The engine started right away and appeared, to the mechanic, to go to full power. The aircraft narrowly missed hitting the flight school building which is right next to the fuel farm and continued in roughly northerly direction across the airport and perpendicular to the runway. The aircraft continued all the way across the airport in what appeared to be full power and struck the tree line on the North side of the airport. It appeared to the mechanic that there was no brake action or a reduction in power at all during the sequence. Mr. Singer was extricated from the aircraft with the jaws of life and airlifted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The NTSB and Continental engines further examined the aircraft and determined there was an issue with the throttle getting stuck in the plastic cylinder it is seated in and they believe this was not caused by the engine being pulled forward in the accident.

As the FAA filed it

THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED JUST AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED FOR A FERRY FLIGHT TO CAPITAL CITY AIRPORT, HARRISBURG, PA. A MECHANIC AT THE AIRPORT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE FUEL TANK FROM ACROSS THE AIRPORT AND STATED HE PERFORMED A RUNUP FOR MR. SINGER. THE RUNUP WAS NORMAL WITH NO ISSUES NOTED. MR. SINGER THEN FUELED THE AIRCRAFT AND PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE TRIP TO CAPITAL CITY. HE THEN CLIMBED IN AND STARTED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE STARTED RIGHT AWAY AND APPEARED, TO THE MECHANIC, TO GO TO FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT NARROWLY MISSED HITTING THE FLIGHT SCHOOL BUILDING WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE FUEL FARM AND CONTINUED IN ROUGHLY NORTHERLY DIRECTION ACROSS THE AIRPORT AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE AIRPORT IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE FULL POWER AND STRUCK THE TREE LINE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. IT APPEARED TO THE MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE ACTION OR A REDUCTION IN POWER AT ALL DURING THE SEQUENCE. MR. SINGER WAS EXTRICATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE JAWS OF LIFE AND AIRLIFTED TO A HOSPITAL WHERE HE SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES.

THE NTSB AND CONTINENTAL ENGINES FURTHER EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND DETERMINED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE THROTTLE GETTING STUCK IN THE PLASTIC CYLINDER IT IS SEATED IN AND THEY BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE ENGINE BEING PULLED FORWARD IN THE ACCIDENT.

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 ERA17LA042Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBlairstown, NJThe pilot's improper engine start procedure, which resulted in a loss of control on the ground and collision with a tree.Nov 10, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8849H · 1

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

Incident 20151212019219ILanding: Touchdown · Blairstown, NJPilot stated he departed sky manor airport (N40) on the morning of the incident in VFR conditions. He arrived at Blairstown Airport (1N7) at approximately 0945 (local time) under VFR conditions. The pilot notified UNICOM of his intended arrival approximately…Dec 12, 2015 · Minor damage