# NTSB NYC95LA177: Pincince Corbin Baby ACE, N88856, Palmer, MA, June 24, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 24, 1995, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Palmer, MA - Location: 42.1584° N, 72.3287° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Palmer, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1584&lon=-72.3287&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 27, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39018 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA177 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39018/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA177 ## Probable cause contamination in the carburetor which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power and forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system,carburetor - contamination (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane had taken off and reached an altitude of approximately 15 feet above the runway. The pilot stated, 'The engine stopped abruptly and completely.' The airplane then 'dropped in rather hard' with the left main landing gear on soft ground and the right main on runway pavement, resulting in a ground loop to the left. The airplane then went down an embankment, and nosed over. An examination of the carburetor revealed that there were contaminants in the bowl and the needle valve tip was worn. The airplane was operated 0.5 hours since the last annual inspection. ## Factual narrative On June 24, 1995, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Pincince, Corbin Baby Ace, an experimental, homebuilt airplane, N88856, nosed over after a forced landing at the Palmer Airport, Palmer, Massachusetts. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local, personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During a routine surveillance on July 26, 1995, the FAA observed the wreckage in a hanger. The FAA Inspector learned that the accident had not been reported. The FAA contacted the pilot/owner, who provided the information about the accident. The airplane had taken off, from runway 22, reached an altitude of approximately 15 feet above the runway, and according to the pilot, "the engine stopped abruptly and completely." The pilot stated on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2: Automatic reaction resulted in decreasing the angle of attack. None-the-less, the Baby Ace dropped-in rather hard with the left main on soft ground and the right main on runway pavement, resulting in a ground loop to the left and then down an embankment...at that point the plane nosed over... According to the pilot, examination of the carburetor revealed that there was "...foreign matter in [the] bowl; [and the] needle valve-needle tip [was] worn" At the time of the accident the pilot reported that the winds were from the southwest, at 5 knots. The visibility was 10 miles. The pilot indicated on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that he had a total of 933.7 flight hours, with .5 hours in this make and model airplane. The time on the airplane since the annual inspection was .5 of an hour. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N88856](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88856-2013-07-11), registration cancelled 2013-07-11, S/N NP-1, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PINCINCE CORBIN BABY ACE (CORBIN BAB) - Registry model: [Pincince Norman T CORBEN BABY ACE C](https://openairdocs.org/model/pincince-norman-t-corben-baby-ace-c) (registry code 05626K7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: NP-1 - Engines: CONTINENTAL A-65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Norman T. Pincince - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Airport: PMX, Palmer Municipal, runway 22, 2,300 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 934 total, 1 in this make and model, 867 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 225° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19950624032879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950624032879A), Jun 24, 1995: Amtraa BABYACEC, Palmer, MA, Substantial damage. Engine quit on climbout. Landed one wheel off runway. Ground looped. Nosed over. Reported foreign matter carb bowl. 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.