# NTSB MIA05LA003: de Havilland DH-82C, N819DH, Cross City, FL, October 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 12, 2004, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Cross City, FL - Coordinates: 29.633333, -83.099998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6333&lon=-83.1000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60349 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA05LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60349/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA05LA003 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - loose gravel/sandy ## Analysis The pilot stated that while in cruise flight at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane's engine surged and began losing power, so he made a forced landing to a road, and during the landing rollout, the landing gear dug into soft sand, and the airplane came to an abrupt halt, incurring damage. Postcrash examination revealed the presence of some rust in a fuel sample taken from the drain located on the firewall, however no contamination was noted from the sample taken from the carburetor. Examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any anomalies. ## Factual narrative On October 12, 2004, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a de Havilland Tiger Moth DH-82C, N819DH, registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing following a loss of engine power, in Cross City, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Moultree, Georgia, the same day, at about 1030. The pilot stated that while cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, about 10 miles north of the Cross City Airport, the airplane's engine surged and began losing power. The pilot stated that the terrain below was heavily forested so he turned toward the only road in the area, initiated emergency procedures, continued the flight over the road in the direction of the airport, and executed a forced landing about 3 miles north of the airport. The pilot said that the road was unsuitable for landing and that during the landing rollout, the landing gear dug into the soft sand and the airplane came to an abrupt halt. According to the pilot, prior to the engine ceasing to operate, there were no problems noted with the airplane during the flight. An FAA inspector conducted a postcrash examination of the accident airplane, and noted no anomalies. He said that the wooden propeller had shattered, but there was adequate oil in the engine, and there was no significant apparent damage to the engine or accessories. He said he was partially able to rotate the engine and it seemed to have compression, but he was unable to verify continuity due to the inaccessibility of the cylinders. Upon examining the throttle and mixture controls, he said the mixture control exhibited some binding, and when a fuel sample was taken from the drain located on the firewall and small deposits of rust was observed in the fuel. Fuel obtained from the carburetor appeared free of any contaminants. On October 15, 2004, the NTSB conducted a follow-on examination. During the course of the examination the engine was noted to have continuity through its drive train, with proper valve action and compression being noted to exist on all cylinders. In addition other systems to include the induction as well as ignition systems were examined, and no anomalies were noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N819DH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N819DH-2017-06-19), registration cancelled 2017-06-19, S/N 1819, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DH-82C - Registry model: [Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH-82C](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-tiger-moth-dh-82c) (registry code 2801006) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Dehav ENG GIPSY MAJOR](https://openairdocs.org/engine/dehav-eng-gipsy-major) (registry code 20004, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1819 - Airframe hours: 3246 - Engines: de Havilland Gipsy Major 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Loughrea Maritime II LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: MGR, Moultree, GA - Destination: CTY, Cross City, FL - Airport: CTY, Cross City ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: serious; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2004; seat: rear; flight hours: 3,400 total, 25 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: GNV, 50 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20041012028979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041012028979A), Oct 12, 2004: Dhav DH82C, Cross City, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On October 12, 2004, at approximately 1045 EDT, a Dehavilland DH-8, N819DH, registered to loughrea maritime ii LLC, sustained substantial damage when it… ## Other investigations on N819DH (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL00LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA049), May 1, 2000: de Havilland DH-82C Tigermoth (N819DH), Daytona Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate pre-flight inspection of the fuel supply that resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.