- Date
- August 23, 2009, 11:28 local (16:28 UTC)
- Place
- Cottage Grove, WI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N171WRRewey William M CH 801
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Milwaukee FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090823048989A
- Case key
- 74581
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 total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation from a blocked fuel screen that resulted from the pilot/owner's inadequate inspection and maintenance of the fuel system.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal, but that, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. He lowered the airplane’s nose to establish a glide and set-up for a forced landing. He executed an emergency landing to an area of tall grass adjacent to a pond. The pilot noted that the airplane “stalled out perhaps 5 [feet] or 10 [feet] above the 5 [foot] high grass--then came down hard.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear wing spar and attachment fittings. A postaccident inspection revealed that the carburetor fuel inlet screen was blocked with metal particles, sand, dirt, insects and other debris. The pilot stated that although he had inspected the gascolator screen, he had not inspected the fuel system screens. The pilot was also the owner and builder of the amateur-built airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal. He stated that about 300 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost power. He lowered the airplane’s nose to establish a glide and set-up for a forced landing. He executed an emergency landing to an area of tall grass adjacent to a pond. The pilot noted that the airplane “stalled out perhaps 5 [feet] or 10 [feet] above the 5 [foot] high grass – then came down hard.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear wing spar and attachment fittings. A post accident inspection revealed that the carburetor fuel inlet screen was blocked with metal particles, sand, dirt, insects and other debris. The pilot stated that although he had inspected the gascolator screen, he had not inspected the fuel system screens. The pilot was also the owner and builder of the amateur-built airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N171WR
- Reported as
- Rewey William M CH 801
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 84197
- Airframe hours
- 37
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 13, 2008
- Departed
- 87Y · Cottage Grove, WI
- Destination
- 87Y · Cottage Grove, WI
- Airport
- 87Y · Blackhawk Airfield, runway 09, 2,203 × 56 ft, asphalt
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
- 81
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 25, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 40 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- MSN, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 749 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.