# NTSB MIA94LA188: Piper J5C, N74669, Yazoo City, MS, July 30, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 29, 1994, 19:10 local (Jul 30, 1994, 00:10 UTC)
- Place: Yazoo City, MS
- Coordinates: 32.859161, -90.400451 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8592&lon=-90.4005&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 19, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 37582
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA94LA188
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37582/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA94LA188

## Probable cause

PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE CARBURETOR BY A WASP NEST, WHICH WAS NOT VISIBLE DURING PREFLIGHT, AND WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise
  - fuel system,carburetor - foreign material/substance (cause)
  - fuel system,carburetor - blocked(partial) (cause)
- Forced landing, emergency descent/landing
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ON LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED A WASP NEST IN THE VENTURI THAT SWELLED WHEN SATURATED WITH FUEL. THE NEST WAS INSIDE THE CARBURETOR AND WAS NOT VISIBLE ON PREFLIGHT.

## Factual narrative

On July 29, 1994, about 1910 central daylight time, N74669, a Piper J5C registered to John Granberry, crashed while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot received minor injuries and the 2 passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier.

The pilot stated that after takeoff the airplane engine began to cut in and out. The engine then failed and he attempted a forced landing to a field. The airplane nosed over on landing. Examination of the engine by FAA personnel revealed that about 75% of the carburetor venturi area was blocked with mud dauber nest material,that swelled up when saturated with fuel.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N74669](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74669-2013-05-08), registration cancelled 2013-05-08, S/N 5-1452, built 1943 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J5C
- Registry model: [Piper J5C](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j5c) (registry code 7100712) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 5-1452
- Airframe hours: 6991
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-2 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Pigg, Dennis P.
- Registered owner: Granberry, John F.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 28, 1993, 16 hours before
- Departed: YAZOO CITY, MS
- Destination: YAZOO CITY, MS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 260 total, 40 in this make and model, 260 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: JAN, 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19940729020119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940729020119A), Jul 29, 1994: Piper J5C, Yazoo City, MS, Substantial damage. Engine quit on climbout. Nosed over on landing. Carb venturi clogged with mud dauber nest material.

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.