SEA02LA062

NTSB accident investigation · Stadden Flybaby · Buhl, ID · March 31, 2002

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 31, 2002, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Buhl, ID
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N1432Stadden Flybaby
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 8, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20020331005329A
Case key
54444

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to return the carburetor heat to the OFF (cold) position prior to applying full power following a touch and go landing, which resulted in poor climb performance and the subsequent impact with a fence and collision with the ground. A contributing factor was the fence.

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanicalTakeoff - initial climb
Carburetor heat - not removedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Object - fenceFactor
Aircraft performance,climb capability - reduced
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The pilot reported that he had been doing touch and go landings at the airport and that on the accident circuit he had applied carburetor heat on the downwind. After executing a normal landing, he applied full power to transition to takeoff on runway 09 however, the aircraft's 75 horsepower Continental engine did not respond to the performance level the pilot was accustomed to. The pilot was able to get the aircraft airborne, but the climb performance was inadequate and the aircraft began to veer right towards several hangars. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft clipped a fence on the south side of the airport, impacted the ground upright and then nosed over. The pilot reported to the investigator that he forgot to turn off the carburetor heat during the landing roll and before the application of power, and that the carburetor heat had been left on throughout the duration of the takeoff attempt and ground impact.

Factual narrative

On March 31, 2002, approximately 1000 mountain standard time, a homebuilt Stadden Flybaby, N1432, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the aircraft collided with a fence during takeoff following a touch and go landing and then nosed over following ground impact at the Buhl Municipal airport (U03), Buhl, Idaho. The pilot suffered minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was being operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Buhl approximately 0915.

The pilot reported that he had been doing touch and go landings at Buhl airport and that on the accident circuit he had applied carburetor heat on the downwind. After executing a normal landing, he applied full power to transition to takeoff on runway 09 however, the aircraft's 75 horsepower Continental engine did not respond to the performance level the pilot was accustomed to. The pilot was able to get the aircraft airborne, but the climb performance was inadequate and the aircraft began to veer right towards several hangars. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft clipped a fence on the south side of the airport, impacted the ground upright and then nosed over.

The pilot reported to the investigator that he forgot to turn off the carburetor heat during the landing roll and before the application of power, and that the carburetor heat had been left on throughout the duration of the takeoff attempt and ground impact.

Aircraft

Registration
N1432
Reported as
Stadden Flybaby
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
1
Airframe hours
526
Engine
Continental A-75, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Tadlock, Edward
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · March 27, 2002 · 0 hours before
Departed
U03 · Buhl, ID
Destination
U03
Airport
U03 · Buhl Municipal, runway 09, 3,900 × 60 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
61
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
December 21, 2000
Seat
Front
Flight hours
588 total · 60 in this make and model · 588 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
30.17 inHg
Observed at
TWF, 16 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 23, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 324 KB in all.

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 N1432 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.