- Date
- July 30, 1989, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chalfont, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5209GCessna 305A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890730025969A
- Case key
- 36483
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
The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in a power loss due to carburetor ice. Factors related to the accident were: carburetor icing conditions and rough/uneven terain in the emergency landing area.
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
Shortly after takeoff from a private field, the aircraft engine lost power, and the aircraft was landed in a soy bean field where it nosed over. An engine check was made and no mechanical discrepancies were found. The philadelphia temperature and dew point were 72 degrees and 59 degrees, respectively.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5209G
- Reported as
- Cessna 305A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21811
- Airframe hours
- 8,253
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11B, 213 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph E. Hefferman, Jr.
- Registered owner
- Broad Axe Equipment Co.
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 1988 · 17 hours before
- Airport
- Moyer, runway 13, 2,800 × 80 ft, grass/turf
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 90 in this make and model · 675 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point -0 °F
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 N5209G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.