ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 133180
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| Date: | Sunday 7 May 1995 |
| Time: | 12:51 LT |
| Type: |  Rutan Long-EZ |
| Owner/operator: | William Albert Davenport |
| Registration: | N41BF |
| MSN: | 92 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 221 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-235-C2C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Los Angeles, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Santa Monica, CA |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR A FLYBY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED OVER THE RUNWAY AT 20 TO 30 FEET AGL. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE PILOT DECLARED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEFT TURN SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT STRIKING OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL LINES, SEVERING THE RIGHT WING, ROLLING RIGHT, AND CRASHING INTO A RESIDENCE. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP AND THE MECHANICAL ENGINE- DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD BOTH BEEN REMOVED. THE DESIGNER HAD PREVIOUSLY TESTED A GRAVITY FUEL SYSTEM AND FOUND IT UNACCEPTABLE, SINCE THE HEIGHT OF THE FUEL TANKS ABOVE THE CARBURETOR DID NOT PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT FUEL PRESSURE. CONSTRUCTION PLANS STATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM IS 'DESIGNED TO REQUIRE TWO FUEL PUMPS', AND THAT THESE TWO FUEL PUMPS ARE A 'MANDATORY REQUIREMENT FOR SAFE OPERATION, AND THAT THERE IS NO ACCEPTABLE WAY AROUND THIS REQUIREMENT.' THE REQUIREMENT WAS REITERATED IN THE JULY, 1980, ISSUE OF THE CANARD PUSHER NEWSLETTER. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF BOTH FUEL PUMPS BY THE PILOT/OWNER.
Probable Cause: fuel starvation due to a modification of the fuel system that rendered it incapable of maintaining adequate fuel pressure. The builder/pilot's lack of understanding of the fuel system was a factor in this accident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX95LA180
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 14-Mar-2021 07:37 | Saccani | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Mar-2021 09:27 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 09-Apr-2024 15:18 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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