- Date
- June 20, 1993, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Watkins, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2915EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930620025229A
- Case key
- 11090
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
Total loss of power resulting from a blocked carburetor fuel filter. A factor was: soft terrain encountered during the forced landing.
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
After being airborne for approximately 20 minutes, on a local area flight, the pilot returned to the airport for landing and during approach the engine began to lose power followed by a complete power loss. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a field approximately one quarter mile from the approach end of the runway. The field was soft and during landing roll, the aircraft nosed over. Inspection revealed debris in the carburetor filter.
Factual narrative
On June 20, 1993, at 1330 mountain daylight time, a Aeronca 7AC, N2915E, conducted a forced landing in a field approximately one quarter mile north of the east/west runway at Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, following a total loss of power. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured; however, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The occurrence was reported to the Safety Board on July 1, 1993.
At the time of the power loss, the aircraft was at an altitude of approximately 300 feet above ground level, over farm fields which were soft as a result of recent rains.
Following the accident, the engine was examined by a mechanic. His report is attached and provides information that the carburetor fuel screen was plugged with debris which could have caused fuel starvation. The source of the material in the filter screen is unknown; however, the mechanic said it did not appear to be from the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2915E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC6498
- Airframe hours
- 2,851
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Luther E. Pearcy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1992 · 51 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 182 total · 31 in this make and model · 142 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 48 °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.
Other investigations on N2915E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.