ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 132084
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| Date: | Thursday 4 June 1992 |
| Time: | 10:17 LT |
| Type: | Oldfield Baby Great Lakes |
| Owner/operator: | John H. Connor |
| Registration: | N4045 |
| MSN: | 6906F161B |
| Total airframe hrs: | 285 hours |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL C-75 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Gila Bend, Maricopa County, Arizona -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | (E63) |
| Douglass, AZ (KDGL) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS ON THE DELIVERY FLIGHT FROM ARIZONA TO GEORGIA. HE LANDED AT THE AIRPORT FOR A FUEL STOP AND TOOK OFF AFTER TOPPING THE FUEL TANK. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTAINED ABOUT 100 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE POWER LEVEL SUDDENLY REDUCED TO IDLE. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO AFFECT A LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. FAA INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE FUEL SELECTOR IS AN 'ON' OR 'OFF' VALVE WITHOUT DETENTS. ONE QUARTER OF A TURN (90 DEGREES) OF THE VALVE IS THE TOTAL MOTION BETWEEN SETTINGS. THE VALVE HANDLE WAS FOUND ABOUT 15 DEGREES FROM THE FULL ON POSITION. THE PREVIOUS AIRCRAFT OWNER STATED THAT THE FUEL VALVE IS VERY SENSITIVE TO BEING IN AN INTERMEDIATE SETTING. HE SAID THAT IF THE VALVE WERE IN ANYTHING BUT THE FULL ON POSITION, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN.
Probable Cause: FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY POSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE FULL 'ON' SETTING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE LOCATION OF THE TEMPORARY RADIO INSTALLATION WHICH LIMITED THE PILOT'S VIEW OF THE SELECTOR VALVE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX92LA234
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=4045
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Sep-2016 17:20 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Plane category] |
| 09-Sep-2016 17:20 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Nature] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 11-Apr-2024 06:46 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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