Billings/White AVID FLYER N305BJ

Summary

On 21 May 1989 at about 19:06 local time, a Billings/White AVID FLYER registered N305BJ was involved in an accident near Niles, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 1989 at 19:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Niles, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Jerry Tyler Memorial (3TR)

Coordinates

41.8297, -86.2400

Aircraft

Billings/White AVID FLYER

Registration

N305BJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benton Harbor → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI89DET05

2 people died.

LOOSE CARBURETOR(S) DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/INSTALLATION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT'S ENG LOST POWER DURING A TURN ONTO BASE LEG. THE ACFT WAS THEN MANEUVERED IN A 360 DEG TURN, AS IF TO LAND IN A FIELD. AS IT WAS BEING MANEUVERED, IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THAT BOTH CARBURETORS WERE LOOSE. CONFIGURATION OF THE ENG REQUIRED THAT EACH CARBURETOR BE SECURED WITH 2 CLAMPS. ONLY 3 OF THE 4 CLAMPS WERE FOUND DESPITE AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH. THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS ON ITS 3RD FLT & WAS BEING FLOWN FROM AN EAA FLY-IN BY THE 2 BUILDERS WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.