Amateur-built Moffra P-13 accident near Linden, Indiana, August 4, 2001
On August 4, 2001 at about 3:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Moffra P-13, registered N6408W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Linden, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Contributing to the accident was the rough/uneven terrain condition encountered during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2001 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Linden, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Moffra P-13
- Registration
- N6408W · registry record · serial 419
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power while maneuvering during a local flight. The pilot was able to restart the engine, but the engine operated intermittently. The pilot executed a forced landing to a soybean field and during the landing rollout the airplane nosed-over. The pilot reported that the airplane had 20 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel at the beginning of the accident flight. No fuel was found during a post-accident inspection of the airplane. However, prior to the inspection the airplane had been up-righted, repositioned from the accident site, and the carburetor fuel supply line was broken. No anomalies were found with the engine that could be associated with any pre-impact condition. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, generated by Transport Canada, the probability of carburetor icing at cruise power was characterized as "moderate" and at descent power as "serious".
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,183 hours in all; 189 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,088 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 19, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 188.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2000; 115.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IN16 Linden IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Linden IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from LAF, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.