ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 385600
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| Date: | Monday 16 July 2001 |
| Time: | 18:30 LT |
| Type: |  Raum Rans S-12 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N40R |
| MSN: | 0891117 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 630 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Waldorf, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Laurel, MD (W18) |
| Waldorf, MD (NONE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Prior to departing on the accident flight, the pilot fueled the airplane with fuel cans that he had in the garage; however, he could not recall how old the fuel was, or when the last fueling of the airplane took place. The pilot estimated that the wing tanks were filled "half way" prior to the fueling. After departure, while in cruise flight, the pilot turned the airplane, and the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a construction site, and the airplane touched down hard, coming to rest upright. The fuel tanks were not equipped with fuel sump drains, and the only means of assuring the fuel was absent of contamination, was a sump drain located on the manifold, which provided fuel to the engine. According to a representative of the airplane kit manufacturer, the kit was produced with two flat fuel tanks, which included withdrawal points located on the front and back of the tanks. Fuel lines from both wing tanks were then routed to a "mixer block," which was located about 2 feet below the tanks. A valve, located on the "mixer block," enabled the pilot to drain fuel and check for contamination. The representative added that it was at the discretion of the kit builder to install sump drains at the low point of the wing fuel tanks, and they did not provide any guidance on preflight procedures.
Probable Cause: Fuel contamination. A factor related to the accident was the builder's decision to not install fuel tank drains.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC01LA177
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Apr-2024 05:53 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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