Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The fuel starvation encountered due to the builder's inadequate fuel system design and the subsequent loss of engine power during a maneuver for the landing approach. Factors were the tree and corn.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On August 21, 2004, about 1330 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Fall Cub, N25MF, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing at a private airstrip following an in-flight loss of engine power near Rockville, Indiana. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and passenger were hospitalized with serious injuries. The flight originated from Post-Air Airport (7L8), near Indianapolis, Indiana, about 1300, and was maneuvering for an approach to the private airstrip at the time of the loss of engine power.
The pilot's accident report stated:
Left 7L8 (Indianapolis home base) at about 13:00 EST ... . Had not
landed at this strip with this [airplane] yet (required Phase I hours
had just been flown off) so I flew a 3-4 hundred foot pass down
runway (W to E) at a fairly low power setting to assess the strip and
its condition. As I started a [right hand] turn to go west so that I
could go back to land east, the engine quit (it windmilled). There
was no possible place to land going [East], so I again checked tanks
to 'both on' [and] fuel gauges 6-7 gal/side in [main fuel tanks]. I turned
sharply west to at least land in cornfield [and] possibly runway.
Pumped throttle again, engine surged briefly and I thought I could
make field. [The airplane] was settling, however and [left] gear
drug thru top of 75' tree slowing me considerably. [The airplane]
hit corn slightly nose down in flat attitude. No fire.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the wreckage. During the examination he observed that no fuel was present in the carburetor. No pre-impact anomalies were found.
Concerning the loss of engine power, the pilot stated, "Engine quit - fuel starvation, I feel caused by unporting fuel pickups."
The pilot's safety recommendation was, "Fuel system need to be reevaluated, possibly rerouting fuel lines from tanks, adding a fuel pump (gravity fed) and/or more fuel pickup points. [Approximately] 12 gal. of fuel showed on fuel sight [glasses] at time engine quit."
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI04LA245