- Date
- July 2, 1998, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Blissfield, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N40349Wicks FLY Baby
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980702015809A
- Case key
- 10947
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 pilot's misjudging of the fuel supply and his inadequate aircraft preflight. A factor was fuel exhaustion,
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
During the initial climb the engine suffered a loss of power. Post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any smell of fuel on or around the wreckage. There was no fuel spill on the ground. Only unusable fuel was found in the tank. No other mechanical anomalies were found during the post accident examination.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 1998, at 0800 eastern daylight time, a Wicks Fly Baby, N40349, piloted by a commercial pilot, received substantial damage when it impacted the terrain, during a forced landing after a loss of engine power during takeoff from runway 27 (2,585' X 100') at the Betz Airport, Blissfield, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 local flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
During the forced landing the airplane nosed over. Initial emergency response personnel indicated no smell of fuel in or around the wreckage. There was no evidence of a fuel spill on the ground. When the airplane was righted only unusable fuel was found in the tank. No other mechanical anomalies were found during the post accident examination.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40349
- Reported as
- Wicks FLY Baby
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- WICKS 1
- Airframe hours
- 6
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William L. Wicks
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 44G
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
- 76
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ARB, 24 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.