- Date
- July 1, 1992, 20:40 local (Jul 2, 1992, 01:40 UTC)
- Place
- Earlham, IA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N79WABernard W. Resnik ACRO-SPECIAL
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920701023589A
- Case key
- 15211
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 loss of total engine power when a failed flapper valve in the air box blocked the flow of air through the carburetor throat.
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 homebuilt accident airplane lost engine power during initial climb from takeoff. It collided with trees and terrain during a forced landing. The pilot described how he had been flying about 45 minutes and had done two landings and takeoffs. During the third takeoff the airplane had climbed about 75 to 100 feet when the engine lost power. Examination of the carburetor air box revealed a flapper valve in the air box had broken. The valve plate was free to move about in the space between the shaft and the carburetor air intake. The plate had been secured to the shaft with two spot welds. The surface of the broken welds appeared dull except for a small portion on one weld where the break appeared shiny. The carburetor air box had been purchased from an aircraft salvage operator for installation on the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79WA
- Reported as
- Bernard W. Resnik ACRO-SPECIAL (ACRO-SPECI)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3
- Airframe hours
- 101
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Price, James F
- Registered owner
- Carey, James D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 27, 1992 · 10 hours before
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 357 total · 5 in this make and model · 357 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 25 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.