Gary L Zeigler MONNETT MONI N10GZ

Summary

On 6 April 2002 at about 14:50 local time, a Gary L Zeigler MONNETT MONI registered N10GZ, operated by Phillip A. Walter, was involved in an accident near Sevierville, Tennessee, 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

6 April 2002 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Sevierville, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge (KGKT)

Coordinates

35.8583, -83.5394

Aircraft

Gary L Zeigler MONNETT MONI

Registration

N10GZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Phillip A. Walter

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sevierville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA02LA080

1 person died.

The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed while turning to reverse direction resulting in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the failure of the pilot to tighten the spark plugs resulting in the partial loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before departure the pilot was observed to change the two spark plugs, and the airplane was fueled. During the takeoff, a witness heard the engine missing. Witnesses reported that when the airplane passed the departure end of the runway, the airplane was observed to bank to the left, pitch down, and impacted the ground in a wooded area. A postcrash fire was extinguished by a fire department. The crash site was located .10 nautical mile and 242 degrees from the departure end of the runway used for takeoff. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine by the FAA-IIC revealed that, "...both plugs were barely finger tight. I did not need a wrench to remove one of the plugs." No other discrepancies related to the engine were noted. The pilot's flight time in the airplane was not determined. Additionally, there were no maintenance records for the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.