- Date
- June 5, 2000, 09:05 local (14:05 UTC)
- Place
- Malden, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6GEEaton Acro Sport I
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000605012289A
- Case key
- 51058
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 water contamination of the fuel system and the inadequate preflight of the airplane by the pilot. The inoperative fuel system drain was a contributing factor. The wheat was a contributing factor.
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
The airplane landed in a soft field short of runway 36 at the Malden Municipal Airport, Malden, Missouri following a total loss of engine power. Water was found in the fuel system of the experimental homebuilt airplane, which was owned by the pilot. The pilot reported that a quick drain valve was not functioning properly.
Factual narrative
On June 5, 2000, at 0905 central daylight time, an Eaton Acro Sport I, N6GE, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a landing attempt on runway 36 (5,011 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) at the Malden Municipal Airport (MAW), Malden, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The commercial pilot reported minor injuries. The local flight departed the Dexter Municipal Airport, Dexter, Missouri, at 0845.
The pilot reported the following in a written statement, "...Approximately 15 minutes into the flight the engine began to sputter out and then suddenly quit. I switched tanks and pumped the manual "wobble" pump, the engine restarted and I gained some altitude. The engine was still running rough so I tried to make it to the nearest airport. (MAW) The engine quit and restarted several more times and finally quit completely just as I turned to try to make the runway. I ended up having to attempt landing short of the runway in a wheat field. The wheels bogged down in the wheat and I nosed over."
The pilot also reported that the quick drain valve was not functioning properly.
A mechanic inspected the airplane and reported finding water in the airplane's fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6GE
- Reported as
- Eaton Acro Sport I (ACRO SPORT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 355
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Christopher Lemons
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 15, 1999 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- DXE · Dexter, MO
- Airport
- MAW · Malden Municipal Airport, runway 36, 5,011 × 100 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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,494 total · 25 in this make and model · 1,470 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- POF, 22 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.