N64WP

On February 24, 2000, at about 1824 eastern standard time, a North American NA-64, N64WP, registered to Castle Aircraft Sales Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight crashed in the vicinity of Clearwater, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Brooksville, Florida, about 29 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he called UNICOM and entered right downwind for runway 34 at Clearwater Air Park, Clearwater, Florida. Power was reduced, lowered flaps, moved the prop control partially forward, verified the right fuel tank was selected, and checked that the mixture was full rich. He turned base leg, and called UNIOCOM stating his intentions. As he began the turn to final, he noticed that that the engine power was reducing. He scanned the instruments and turned the electric back up boost pump on. The fuel selector was switched from the right tank, to the left tank, and back again to the right tank. He realized he would be unable to make the runway and initiated a forced landing to a street. The airplane collided with trees and a telephone pole. The airplane rotated to the right and came to a complete stop.

Examination of the airplane was conducted by the FAA. The fuel supply line from the engine pump to the carburetor was found severely kinked. When the supply line was disconnected at the carburetor, no fuel was available. When the kink was removed, fuel came out of the line. The FAA concluded that fuel starvation was suspected, and the actual cause could not be determined. Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft, Inc., looked at the aircraft on behalf of the insurance adjuster, and stated that the engine stopped as a result of fuel starvation.