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Oak Harbor, WA
PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, WITNESSES APRX 9 MI SW OF THE CRASH SITE SAW AN ACFT (MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF N5KB) FLYING AT ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT OVER THE WATER ON A NE HEADING. IT THEN PULLED UP IN A STEEP CLIMBING TURN TOWARD THE SHORELINE. NO KNOWN WITNESSES SAW THE ACDNT; HOWEVER, SEVERAL PERSONS CLEARLY HEARD THE ENG SPUTTERING OR CUTTING IN & OUT JUST PRIOR THE THE CRASH. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN TREES WHILE IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 3 CYLINDER, 2 CYCLE, RECIPROCATING ENG WHICH HAD 3 CARBURETORS. WATER & FOREIGN MATERIAL WERE FOUND IN THE BOWLS OF ALL 3 CARBURETORS. ALSO, THE ACFT FUEL FILTER WAS FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER & FOREIGN MATERIAL. DURING AN ENG TEARDOWN, EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING & SCOURING OF THE #3 PISTON & CYLINDER WAS ALSO NOTED.
PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, WITNESSES APRX 9 MI SW OF THE CRASH SITE SAW AN ACFT (MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF N5KB) FLYING AT ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT OVER THE WATER ON A NE HEADING. IT THEN PULLED UP IN A STEEP CLIMBING TURN TOWARD THE SHORELINE. NO KNOWN WITNESSES SAW THE ACDNT; HOWEVER, SEVERAL PERSONS CLEARLY HEARD THE ENG SPUTTERING OR CUTTING IN & OUT JUST PRIOR THE THE CRASH. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN TREES WHILE IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 3 CYLINDER, 2 CYCLE, RECIPROCATING ENG WHICH HAD 3 CARBURETORS. WATER & FOREIGN MATERIAL WERE FOUND IN THE BOWLS OF ALL 3 CARBURETORS. ALSO, THE ACFT FUEL FILTER WAS FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER & FOREIGN MATERIAL. DURING AN ENG TEARDOWN, EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING & SCOURING OF THE #3 PISTON & CYLINDER WAS ALSO NOTED.