Summary
On August 30, 2009, a Beech B19 (N6982R) was involved in an incident near Thomasville, PA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A partial loss of engine power due to a partial blockage of the carburetor fuel inlet filter.
According to the pilot, during the preflight inspection, he checked the full fuel tanks for water at all three access points, with none found. The engine ran smoothly during taxi, run up and takeoff, but "stumbled" upon level off. The pilot switched tanks, "checked" the carburetor heat, and found that the engine only smoothed out when he added full power. The pilot decided to return to the airport, and during the base leg, the engine lost all power, resulting in a forced landing in a cornfield. A postflight examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no obvious mechanical anomalies with the physical components of the engine.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA09CA493. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6982R.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A partial loss of engine power due to a partial blockage of the carburetor fuel inlet filter.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
According to the pilot, during the preflight inspection, he checked the full fuel tanks for water at all three access points, with none found. The engine ran smoothly during taxi, run up and takeoff, but "stumbled" upon level off. The pilot switched tanks, "checked" the carburetor heat, and found that the engine only smoothed out when he added full power. The pilot decided to return to the airport, and during the base leg, the engine lost all power, resulting in a forced landing in a cornfield. A postflight examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no obvious mechanical anomalies with the physical components of the engine. However, when he examined the carburetor fuel inlet filter, the inspector found it about 75 percent blocked with particulate matter consisting of large quantities of rust, insect remains, and sand. A restriction of this amount would significantly effect the engines ability to operate at lower power settings and could result in a total loss of engine power.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA493