# NTSB CHI76DEM60: Weilbuilt WB-4, N788, Thomas City, MI, September 19, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: September 19, 1976
- Place: Thomas City, MI · THOMAS CITY, MI
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 12, 1977
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 155648
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI76DEM60
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI76DEM60

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3342  76/9/19    THOMAS CITY,MI      WEILBUILT WB-4      CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 27, 1770
        TIME - 1915                    N788                PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 55 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WARSAW,IN                   TAWAS,MI
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
           DITCHING                                                 LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FUEL CONTAMINATION-EXCLUSIVE OF WATER IN FUEL
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - WATER IN FUEL
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON WATER
        REMARKS- ACFT SANK NOT RCVRD.ACFT REFUELED FM 80 OCTANE BARREL.BOTH SEDIMENT & WATER FOUND IN BARREL.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N788](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N788-1980-12-23), registration cancelled 1980-12-23, S/N WB4 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WEILBUILT WB-4
- Registry model: [Weil BIPLANE](https://openairdocs.org/model/weil-biplane) (registry code 3360302) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19760919030589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760919030589A), Sep 19, 1976: Amtr 3360302, Thomas City, MI, Destroyed. Acft sank not rcvrd. Acft refueled fm 80 octane barrel. Both sediment & water found in barrel.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.