- Date
- June 1, 1998, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Abingdon, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N485AJCawood Fisher Classic
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980601011559A
- Case key
- 39571
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 inadequate preflight of the airplane which resulted in water contamination of the fuel system. A factor was the location of the fuel tank's sump.
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
The homebuilt departed the runway and was climbing through 200 feet (AGL) when the pilot started a gentle turn to reverse course. Halfway through the turn the engine lost power. The pilot completed the course reversal, but was unable to maneuver to a suitable landing area because of limited attitude and airspeed, and the airplane collided with a track hoe. Water was found in both carburetors and main fuel screen. According to the pilot/builder, the position of the fuel tank sump required the airplane to be in a level attitude in order to completely drain water from the tank.
Factual narrative
On June 1, 1998, at 1830 eastern daylight time, a home built Fisher Classic airplane, N485AJ, was destroyed during a forced landing and collision with a track hoe at Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI), Abingdon, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that after completing the preflight inspection, he ran the airplane's engine for 20 to 30 minutes before departing Runway 24. After takeoff he climbed to 200 feet above ground level (AGL), then started a gentle turn to reverse course. Halfway through the turn, he felt a loss in power. He completed his course reversal, but was unable to maneuver to a suitable landing area because of limited attitude and airspeed. Just prior to impacting the track hoe the pilot pitched the nose of the airplane up in an attempt to avoid the obstacle, however the airplane impacted the track hoe belly first.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the wreckage on June 1, 1998. The examination revealed that both carburetor bowls were 1/4 full of water, and that 2 tablespoons of water were found in the main fuel screen. Total time on the airplane was 19 hours.
In a telephone interview, the pilot, who also built the airplane, stated the position of the fuel tank sump prevented him from checking the lowest point in the fuel tank, and once the airplane was level, water was allowed to flow from the back of the tank to the engine collection point.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N485AJ
- Reported as
- Cawood Fisher Classic (FISHER CLA)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- C065
- Airframe hours
- 19
- Engine
- Hirth 2706-2C2, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Don Eugene Cawood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 30, 1997 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- VJH
- Airport
- VJI · Virginia Highlands, runway 24, 4,470 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 496 total · 19 in this make and model · 495 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRI, 220 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.