- Date
- May 5, 1995, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Paris, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N689EGGrunska Earl J Baby ACE D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950505009789A
- Case key
- 19408
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain minimum required airspeed for flight, resulting in an inadvertent stall. A factor was the partial loss of power for undetermined reasons.
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 had landed at Paris municipal airport (7M6) for fuel, however, there was none available. During takeoff at 'approximately 100 feet', the engine began to 'sputter and miss.' The pilot returned to the airport and checked the airplane for any mechanical 'failures.' None were found and 'a static runup was performed adequately at full throttle.' The airplane took off and approximately 100 feet above ground level (AGL), the engine began to 'sputter and almost quit again causing the aircraft to stall and hit the ground.' Examination of the engine did not disclose any maintenance anomalies and there was no evidence of fuel or fuel leaks; however, it was reported that a rescue person saw fuel leaking.
Factual narrative
On May 5, 1995, at 1310 central daylight time, a homebuilt Grunska Earl J, Baby Ace D, N689EG, was substantially damaged during takeoff near Paris, Arkansas. The private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
According to the Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot had landed at Paris Municipal Airport (7M6) for fuel; however, there was none available. During takeoff from Paris Municipal Airport at "approximately 100 feet", the engine began to "sputter and miss." The pilot returned to the airport and checked the airplane for any mechanical "failures." None were found and "a static runup was performed adequately at full throttle." The airplane took off and approximately 100 feet above ground level (AGL), the engine began to "sputter and almost quit again causing the aircraft to stall and hit the ground" within the Fairgrounds that borders the airport.
Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed no evidence of fuel or fuel leaks; however, it was reported that a rescue person saw fuel leaking. Examination of the engine did not disclose any maintenance anomalies. Both wings, the firewall, and the landing gear were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N689EG
- Reported as
- Grunska Earl J Baby ACE D
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- EG1
- Airframe hours
- 19
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Troy A. Toelle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1994 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- 7M6
- Destination
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 197 total · 66 in this make and model · 119 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.