- Date
- July 10, 2004, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Jasper, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8048GStein Skybolt Skybolt
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040710030579A
- Case key
- 59723
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
The pilot's attempt to operate the airplane with known deficiencies in the equipment, and the fuel system contamination that resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. A factor was rough and uneven 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
According to the acting airport manager at Pickens County Airport, N8048G, refueled with about 20 gallons of 100 octane low lead fuel. After several start attempts the airplane taxied from the fuel pits a short distance before the engine quit again. The pilot, requested a pair of pliers and removed the fuel filter and found it to be 90 percent clogged. After cleaning the fuel filter and replacing it, he told the acting airport manager that he was going to return to Dalton Municipal. According to the pilot, during cruise flight the engine quit. The pilot executed a forced landing into a rough field, and hit hard collapsing the landing gear, buckling the firewall and engine mounts. Examination of the airplane found sealing compound in the upper fuel tank. The sealing compound was also found in the fuel line and fuel filter. The pilot stated that he should have investigated and cleaned the fuel system prior to taking off.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 2004 at 1745 eastern daylight time, a Masingill Steve, Stein Skybolt Home Built airplane, N8048G, registered to and operated by the Private pilot, collided with the ground following a loss of engine power in Jasper, Georgia. The personal flight was operated 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 cross country flight to Dalton, Georgia. The pilot received serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated in Jasper, Georgia on July 10, 2004, at 1730.
According to the acting airport manager at Pickens County Airport, N8048G, refueled with about 20 gallons of 100 octane low lead fuel. After several start attempts the airplane taxied from the fuel pits a short distance before the engine quit again. The pilot, requested a pair of pliers and removed the fuel filter and found it to be 90 percent clogged. After cleaning the fuel filter and replacing it, he told the acting airport manager that he was going to return to Dalton Municipal. The acting airport manager advised the pilot to drain the fuel and clean the tank prior to departure but that was not accomplished prior to takeoff.
According to the pilot, during cruise flight the engine quit. The pilot executed a forced landing into a rough field, and hit hard collapsing the landing gear, buckling the firewall and engine mounts. Examination of the airplane found sealing compound in the upper fuel tank. The sealing compound was also found in the fuel line and fuel filter. The pilot stated that he should have investigated and cleaned the fuel system prior to taking off. The annual inspection on the airplane was completed in September 2003, 22 flight hours before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8048G
- Reported as
- Stein Skybolt Skybolt
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 740
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephen Lee Masingill
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2003 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- JZP · Jasper, GA
- Destination
- DNN · Dalton, GA
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2003
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 22 in this make and model · 720 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.