ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 2249
This record has been locked for editing.
| Date: | Sunday 17 February 2008 |
| Time: | 16:38 |
| Type: |  Van's RV-7 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N331KM |
| MSN: | 71967 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29 hours |
| Engine model: | Xtreem 360 IO-360-B1AA4 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | between Banner Mountain and Highway 20 near Nevada City, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Nevada City, CA (KGOO) |
| Nevada City, CA (KGOO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot of the two-seat experimental airplane transmitted a distress call stating that he had lost engine power and could not restart the engine. Another pilot who was airborne at 5,500 feet msl (mean sea level) at the time of the accident said that he had radio communications with the pilot of the accident airplane. The accident pilot stated that he could not get the engine to restart, that he had tried everything, and he was going down. The pilot then observed the accident airplane in a controlled descent into an area populated by large trees. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the lever arm of the engine-driven fuel pump had failed in fatigue. Testing of the electric fuel boost pump demonstrated that it was capable of delivering fuel to the engine; however, the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge states that, in regard to fuel-injected engines, it is difficult to restart a hot engine or an engine that quits because of fuel starvation. The airplane logbooks documented that 44 days earlier the engine-driven fuel pump had been removed and replaced twice. After the first installation the engine would not run. The fuel pump was installed a second time, which resulted in successful engine operation. The engine ran for 16.1-hours before the fuel pump lever arm failed from a fatigue crack in the pivot area of the arm, causing the engine to lose power from fuel starvation. It is possible to incorrectly install this type of fuel pump. When the engine's fuel pump push rod is in the extended position it can interfere with the placement of the fuel pump lever arm during the installation, which results in it being obstructed or jammed against the engine case, possibly creating a crack in the pivot area of the lever arm. In this situation the engine usually does not run because the pump lever arm and engine push rod are not aligned correctly and fuel is not being pumped. The crack may not be visually detectable because the location is obscured by the pump case.
Probable Cause: The improper installation of the fuel pump, leading to a fatigue failure of the pump's lever arm and subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Feb-2008 11:18 | Fusko | Added |
| 20-Feb-2008 05:58 | jabberwocky | Updated |
| 22-Feb-2008 00:58 | Fusko | Updated |
| 25-Feb-2008 10:57 | harro | Updated |
| 21-Aug-2016 20:17 | junior sjc | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:13 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 27-Aug-2017 06:30 | junior sjc | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2017 09:35 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation