Accident Pitts S-1C N4T, Thursday 16 March 1995

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Date:	Thursday 16 March 1995
Time:	18:37 LT
Type:	Pitts S-1C
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N4T
MSN:	01
Engine model:	Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	New Windsor, MD - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Westminster, MD
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE, ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT TRIED TO ELIMINATE THE ROUGHNESS BY USE OF A HAND WOBBLE FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAGNETOS. THE ENGINE INITIALLY GOT BETTER, THEN GOT WORSE, FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A BACKYARD. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR BROKE ON LANDING 'BECAUSE I HIT TOO HARD.' DURING THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM WAS RUPTURED.

Probable Cause: the failure of the fuel pump diagram which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent forced landing.

Accident investigation: