# NTSB NYC03LA171: Stewart Hummel Bird, N7075Y, North Baltimore, OH, July 31, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 31, 2003, 19:55 local (23:55 UTC) - Place: North Baltimore, OH - Coordinates: 41.174999, -83.683334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1750&lon=-83.6833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-25 - NTSB case key (mKey): 57617 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA171 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57617/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA171 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall during an emergency landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, climb - to cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, descent - emergency - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot had purchased the airplane from a previous owner, and performed some modifications, which included installing "one-half of a Volkswagen automobile engine." The accident flight was pilot's first flight in the airplane. After the pilot departed his private airstrip, witnesses observed the airplane about 100 feet above the ground, and heard a fluctuation in engine power. The airplane subsequently impacted a field about 1 mile east of the airstrip. The airplane impacted in a flat attitude, with no horizontal movement. There was no indication of engine power at the accident site, and the fuel tank had been compromised during the impact. ## Factual narrative On July 31, 2003, about 1955 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Hummel Bird airplane, N7075Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near North Baltimore, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated from a private airstrip. No flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector spoke to the pilot's brother shortly after the accident. According to the pilot's brother, the pilot had purchased the airplane from a previous owner, and performed some modifications, which included installing "one-half of a Volkswagen automobile engine." The accident flight was pilot's first flight in the airplane. The pilot departed his family's private airstrip about 1950, and flew in an easterly direction. Witnesses observed the airplane about 100 feet above the ground, and heard a fluctuation in engine power. The airplane subsequently impacted a field about 1 mile east of the airstrip. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane had impacted in a flat attitude, with no horizontal movement. The landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage was buckled. There was no visible rotation marks on the propeller spinner. One propeller tip was imbedded in the ground, the remainder of the wooden propeller was not damaged. The inspector was unable to rotate the propeller due to a bent cowling and propeller flange. The inspector also noted that the fuel tank had been compromised, and separated from the airplane. The fuel tank was found lying in nearby vegetation and no discoloration was observed on the vegetation or soil in the immediate vicinity of the fuel tank. No fuel odor was present at the accident site. The inspector did smell a fuel odor emanating from the inside of the fuel tank. He examined the carburetor and observed a few drops of fuel, consistent with automobile gasoline. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7075Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7075Y-2017-06-01), registration cancelled 2017-06-01, S/N 6200, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Stewart Hummel Bird - Registry model: [Stewart Bill HUMMEL BIRD](https://openairdocs.org/model/stewart-bill-hummel-bird) (registry code 05615L9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 6200 - Engines: Volkswagen 37 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Donald W. Stewart - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: NONE, North Baltimore, OH - Destination: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: single; toxicology performed; flight hours: 300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 3 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FDY, 10 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 20030731028929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030731028929A), Jul 31, 2003: Amtr HUMMELBIRD, North Baltimore, OH, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) Pilot departed from Private Airport. The aircraft impacted the ground one mile east of the airport. Inspection of the fuel tank, could not find any… 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.