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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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April 19, 1993 · Siegel Glasair III Glasair II · N540PS

Zephyrhills, FL

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 19, 1993
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Zephyrhills, FL
Aircraft
Siegel Glasair III Glasair II
Tail Number
N540PS
Operator
Siegel Jr Paul F
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
MIA93LA105

The private pilot conducted a precautionary landing because of a rough-running engine. After landing, the gascolator and fuel injector nozzles were removed, cleaned, and reinstalled on the airplane. The fuel sumps were drained, and an engine run-up was conducted. On initial takeoff climb at about 300 feet AGL, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power followed by a total loss of engine power. A forced landing was conducted resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed fiberglass dust in the main fuel header tank, tank screen, main fuel filter, and under the diaphragm in the fuel flow divider. The engine fuel injector (Bendix model RSA10ED1) was partially disassembled. A piece of plastic material was found in the venturi pressure chamber side of the air diaphragm of sufficient size to block the passageway to the venturi. Tests showed that blockage of the passageway would result in restricted fuel flow.

NTSB Probable Cause

CONTAMINATION (FIBERGLASS DUST) IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND/OR A PIECE OF PLASTIC (FOREIGN) MATERIAL IN THE FUEL INJECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN RESTRICTED FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING.

Full Narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BECAUSE OF A ROUGH-RUNNING ENGINE. AFTER LANDING, THE GASCOLATOR AND FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES WERE REMOVED, CLEANED, AND REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. THE FUEL SUMPS WERE DRAINED, AND AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS CONDUCTED. ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA REVEALED FIBERGLASS DUST IN THE MAIN FUEL HEADER TANK, TANK SCREEN, MAIN FUEL FILTER, AND UNDER THE DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER. THE ENGINE FUEL INJECTOR (BENDIX MODEL RSA10ED1) WAS PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED. A PIECE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE VENTURI PRESSURE CHAMBER SIDE OF THE AIR DIAPHRAGM OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO BLOCK THE PASSAGEWAY TO THE VENTURI. TESTS SHOWED THAT BLOCKAGE OF THE PASSAGEWAY WOULD RESULT IN RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:57 EDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftSiegel Glasair III Glasair II
Tail NumberN540PS
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSiegel Jr Paul F
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-K1H5 · Reciprocating · 300
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 41 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind270° @ 7 kt
CeilingBroken clouds 6500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point50
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time20:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data