Westcott GLASAIR I-FT N289W

Summary

On 21 August 1996 at about 00:15 local time, a Westcott GLASAIR I-FT registered N289W was involved in an accident near Puyallup, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 August 1996 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Puyallup, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.1903, -122.3308

Aircraft

Westcott GLASAIR I-FT

Registration

N289W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA196

Injuries not recorded.

failure of the air inlet screen, and subsequent ingestion of the foam air filter. An inadequate maintenance modification by the amateur builder and no suitable landing area were related factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during climb-out after completing a touch-and-go, the engine lost power at 300 to 400 feet above ground level. The pilot stated that there was not a suitable landing site, and he opted to make a forced landing to a roadway. During touchdown, the airplane collided with two occupied vehicles. An engine inspection revealed that the inlet screen to the carburetor air box had been fabricated with an approximate half-inch square metal meshing. The wire on the screen had broken and had allowed the foam air filter to be sucked into the throat of the carburetor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.