Moore Glenn MORONCA N404AF

Summary

On 5 March 2009 at about 17:20 local time, a Moore Glenn MORONCA registered N404AF was involved in an accident near Burgaw, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 March 2009 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Burgaw, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Stag Air Park (7NC1)

Coordinates

34.5278, -77.8500

Aircraft

Moore Glenn MORONCA

Registration

N404AF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burgaw → Burgaw

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09LA182

1 person died.

A partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination as a result of the pilot's operation of the airplane with a deteriorated fuel tank.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness reported hearing an airplane’s engine sputter before hearing the crash. The airplane appeared to have clipped trees on its descent to the field, impacted the ground nose first, and bounced once to its final resting place. A postcrash examination found small particle contaminants in the airplane’s fuel system. The interior of the tank was found to be deteriorating and flaking apart. The amateur-built airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate on April 12, 2008. The fuselage was primarily Aeronca with the wings and landing gear system designed by the owner/pilot. The airplane had accumulated a total of 47.21 hours since the time it was built. Its last inspection, a conditional, took place on November 28, 2008 and the airplane flew seven hours between that inspection and the time of the accident. Six weeks prior to the accident the pilot had reported that the airplane’s engine had cut out. The pilot told his friend he found some debris in the fuel tank and that he would “keep an eye on it.” The cross bar, to which the pilot’s shoulder harness was secured, separated from the airframe at impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.