- Date
- August 2, 1989, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Escanaba, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N55NGGatzemeyer 88 ACRO-SPORT II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890802026709A
- Case key
- 14197
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 loose fuel line between the carburetor and engine which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor related to the accident was: no suitable 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
The pilot reported that approximately 4 miles south of the airport, the engine lost power. The electric fuel boost pump was turned on and power was momentarily regained. A forced landing was made on a beach during which the airplane nosed over on touchdown. Post accident inspection revealed the fuel supply line between the carburetor and engine was loose. Fuel stains were found near the loose connection inside the engine cowling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55NG
- Reported as
- Gatzemeyer 88 ACRO-SPORT II (ACRO-SPORT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 005
- Airframe hours
- 48
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Norman J. Gatzemeyer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1989 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Destination
- ESC · Escanaba, MI
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 46 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.