Cox BUSBY MUSTANG N72PC

Summary

On 29 November 2009 at about 16:45 local time, a Cox BUSBY MUSTANG registered N72PC, operated by Berman David H, was involved in an accident near Plant City, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 November 2009 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Plant City, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.9397, -82.0603

Aircraft

Cox BUSBY MUSTANG

Registration

N72PC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Berman David H

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wauchula → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10LA086

2 people died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff, the flight proceeded to another airport where the pilot landed uneventfully and fueled at a self-service 100 low-lead (100LL) fuel pump. The airplane departed and proceeded towards the accident area where two witnesses on the ground reported hearing the engine sputter. One witness reported that the airplane flew low over his house with a rough-running engine. He additionally reported that the engine then lost power and the propeller stopped. The airplane pitched nose down indicative of a stall, then descended through tree before impacting the ground. A postaccident inspection of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Remnants of sealing compound from the wingtip tanks were found in the carburetor bowl but the discharge nozzle of the carburetor was not obstructed. Additionally, the fuel selector from the wingtip fuel tanks was noted to be faulty, allowing fuel to flow to the engine regardless of the position of the valve. No determination could be made as to the reason for the witness-reported loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.