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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 30, 1983 · Chamberlain KR-1 · N80190

Johnstown, PA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 30, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Johnstown, PA
Aircraft
Chamberlain KR-1
Tail Number
N80190
Operator
Ralph G Ling
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
NYC83FGM04

The aircraft collided with the ground after takeoff. The weather was VMC and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was an amateur/experimental KR-1 with a VW 2100 cc engine, maintained under a condition inspection program performed by the owner. Investigation at the scene indicated that the aircraft impacted several trees at a moderate rate of speed and a steep approach angle. The aircraft had turned about 90 degrees to the left from the takeoff heading of 230 and came to rest 300 ft from initial impact. Investigation revealed that the aircraft carburetor had been replaced with another carburetor and the fuel line from gascolator to the carburetor made a sharp bend with a kink in the hose. The carburetor float was not of recommended size and some of the copper fuel lines from tank to carburetor had been cut with a tube cutter with metal extending over the holes, which had not been cleaned out. Three of the spark plugs would not fire at 120 psi; firing was normal when pressure was dropped to 100 psi.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER TAKEOFF. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ACFT WAS AN AMATEUR/EXPERIMENTAL KR-1 WITH A VW 2100 CC ENGINE, MAINTAINED UNDER A CONDITION INSPECTION PROGRAM PERFORMED BY THE OWNER. INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED AND A STEEP APPROACH ANGLE. THE ACFT HAD TURNED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT FROM THE TAKEOFF HEADING OF 230 CAME TO REST 300 FT FROM INITIAL IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT CARBURETOR HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER CARBURETOR AND THE FUEL LINE FROM GASCOLATOR TO THE CARBURETOR MADE A SHARP BEND WITH A KINK IN THE HOSE. THE CARBURETOR FLOAT WAS NOT OF RECOMMENDED SIZE AND SOME OF THE COPPER FUEL LINES FROM TANK TO CARBURETOR HADBEEN CUT WITH A TUBE CUTTER WITH METAL EXTENDING OVER THE HOLES, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN CLEANED OUT. THREE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WOULD NOT FIRE AT 120 PSI; FIRING WAS NORMAL WHEN PRESSURE WAS DROPPED TO 100 PSI.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:05 EDT
Nearest AirportJohnstown-Cambria County (1nm SSE)
Runway23
Runway Length4470 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftChamberlain KR-1
Tail NumberN80190
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRalph G Ling
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsVolkswagen · 211OCC · Reciprocating · 55
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 54 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind280° @ 6 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data