- Date
- December 4, 2001, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hampstead, NC
- NTSB coordinates
- 34.0717, -77.4156, outside the stated state
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N888PWWhitty, Philip J. Mustang II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA - Greensboro FSDO - 05
- FAA report
- 20011204034349A
- Case key
- 53902
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing and subsequent nose over during landing roll. A factor was the soft, unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight at 2000 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot noticed the fuel gauge read 15 psi. The pilot turned on the electric fuel boost pump, and the fuel system pressure increased to 20 psi. Attempts to restart the engine were not successful. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field clear of trees. During landing roll in the soft field, the airplane traveled less than 50 feet and nosed over. The airplane had departed with approximately 30 gallons of fuel.
Factual narrative
On December 4, 2001, at 1100 eastern standard time, a Philip Whitty Mustang II experimental airplane, N888PW, registered to a private owner, lost engine power and nosed over during a forced landing in Hampstead, North Carolina. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot received minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from a private airstrip in Topsail, North Carolina, about 1000.
The pilot departed the airport to perform maneuvers, including climbing and descending turns, slow flight, and approach to stall turns for about 50 minutes. While returning to the airport in cruise flight at 2,000 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot noticed the fuel gauge read 15 psi. The pilot turned on the electric fuel boost pump, and the fuel system pressure increased to 20 psi. Attempts to restart the engine were not successful. The pilot established a glide toward a field that was clear of trees and executed a forced landing. During landing roll in the soft field, the airplane traveled less than 50 feet, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane had departed with approximately 30 gallons of fuel.
Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the vertical stabilizer, propeller, cowling, canopy, and wing tips. Examination of the engine found no pre-existing discrepancies that would have contributed to the loss of engine power. The pilot reported previous problems starting the engine when it was hot. The post-accident examination of the engine also failed to disclose a mechanical problem.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N888PW
- Reported as
- Whitty, Philip J. Mustang II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1699
- Airframe hours
- 3
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320-B1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Philip J. Whitty
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 2001 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Topsail, NC
- Destination
- PVT · Topsail, NC
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- ILM, 23 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N888PW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.