Saturday, February 02, 2019

Stinson 108 Voyager, N8660K: Accident occurred April 30, 2016 at Calverton Executive Airpark (3C8), Suffolk County, New York

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Farmingdale, New York

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 
 
https://registry.faa.gov/N8660K



Location: Calverton, NY
Accident Number: ERA16LA173
Date & Time: 04/30/2016, 1000 EDT
Registration: N8660K
Aircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On April 30, 2016, at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Universal Stinson 108, N8660K, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion while landing at the Calverton Executive Airpark (3C8), Calverton, New York. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that that was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Lufker Airport (49N), East Moriches, New York at 0930, destined for Westmoreland Airport (49NY), Shelter Island, New York.

The pilot stated that during climbout at an altitude of about 1,200 feet mean sea level, the engine began to "miss" as though it had a "partially fouled spark plug." He decided to perform a precautionary landing at 3C8 and attempt to remedy the problem on the ground. During the rollout after landing, a wind gust lifted the right wing and the airplane ground looped and came to rest in the grass on the left side of runway 32.

Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, was located about 7 miles southwest of the accident site. At 0956 the reported weather at HWV included wind variable at 5 knots, clear skies, with 10 statute miles of visibility.

Runway 32 at 3C8 was constructed of asphalt and concrete and was 10,001 feet-long by 200 feet-wide.

An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left wing strut was bent, the left main landing gear was folded under the fuselage, the left wing tip was damaged, and the fuselage floor structure sustained substantial damage.

The pilot indicated that the engine had performed similarly on previous occasions, and he was able to correct it by performing an engine run-up. The airplane was fueled with automotive gasoline, for which it was approved; however, the applicable supplemental type certificate specifications did not permit the use of automotive fuel containing ethanol. The FAA inspector reported that the pilot had been purchasing automotive fuel that contained ethanol, and employed a "water shake" method in an attempt to remove the ethanol from the fuel before transferring it to the airplane fuel tanks. 




Pilot Information


Certificate: Private
Age: 71, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/25/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 01/23/2015
Flight Time:  601 hours (Total, all aircraft), 51 hours (Total, this make and model), 557 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0.5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: UNIVERSAL STINSON
Registration: N8660K
Model/Series: 108
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1947
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 108-1660
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/29/2015, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2230 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 77 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2485 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: FRANKLIN
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 6A4150 SERIES
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 150 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KHWV, 82 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0956 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 212°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / 6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:  No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: EAST MORICHES, NY (49N)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: SHELTER ISLAND, NY (49NY)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0930 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information


Airport: CALVERTON EXECUTIVE AIRPARK (3C8)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt; Concrete
Airport Elevation: 75 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 32
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 10001 ft / 200 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Precautionary Landing; Straight-in 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  40.915000, -72.791944 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA173
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 30, 2016 in Calverton, NY
Aircraft: UNIVERSAL STINSON 108, registration: N8660K
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On April 30, 2016, at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Universal Stinson 108, N8660K, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion while landing at the Calverton Executive Airpark (3C8), Calverton, New York. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that that was conducted under the provisions of Title14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Lufker Airport (49N), East Moriches, New York at 0930, destined for Westmoreland Airport (49NY), Shelter Island, New York.

The pilot stated that during climbout at an altitude of about 1,200 feet mean sea level, the engine began to "miss" as though it had a "partially fouled spark plug." He decided to perform a precautionary landing at 3C8 and attempt to remedy the problem on the ground. During the rollout after landing, a wind gust lifted the right wing and the airplane ground looped and came to rest in the grass on the left side of runway 32.

Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, was located about 7 miles southwest of the accident site. At 0956 the reported weather at HWV included wind variable at 5 knots, clear skies, with 10 statute miles of visibility.

An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the left wing strut was bent, the left main landing gear was folded under the fuselage, the left wing tip was damaged, and the fuselage floor structure sustained substantial damage.

The pilot indicated that the engine had performed similarly on previous occasions, and he was able to correct it by performing an engine run-up. The airplane was fueled with automotive gasoline, for which it was approved; however, the applicable supplemental type certificate specifications did not permit the use of automotive fuel containing ethanol. The FAA inspector reported that the pilot had been purchasing automotive fuel that contained ethanol, and employed a "water shake" method in an attempt to remove the ethanol from the fuel before transferring it to the airplane fuel tanks.

1 comment:

  1. Haven’t heard of the “water shake” method to run ethanol fuel in an old aircraft engine. I have seen pilots use automotive oil to save money, and having an engine failure soon there after. This is why I don’t just jump in and fly with someone I do not know well.

    ReplyDelete