Sun, May 12, 2024
Postaccident Examination Of The Engine Revealed That The Fuel Filter B-Nut Fitting Was Not Properly Torqued
Location: Fairfield, Utah Accident Number: WPR22LA211
Date & Time: June 9, 2022, 10:45 Local Registration: N46JH
Aircraft: RANS S21 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot was conducting a test flight following recent maintenance when, shortly after departing, the engine began to lose power. He performed a forced landing on airport property, during which the airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the fuel filter b-nut fitting was not properly torqued, which likely introduced air into the fuel system. Additionally, there was no restricted bypass line between the inlet (pressure side of the fuel pump module) and the return line and no vent line from the header tank, both of which would have allowed the venting of air from the fuel system. Based on this evidence, it is likely that the loose fuel filter b-nut allowed the air into the fuel system that could not be properly vented due to the lack of a restricted bypass line and vent line, which ultimately resulted in the loss of engine power.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The owner’s (pilot) failure to properly torque a fuel filter b-nut fitting, which likely introduced air into the fuel system and resulted in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the loss of power was a missing restricted bypass line and a header tank vent line, which would have allowed the venting of air from the fuel system.
More News
States That Current Process is Damaging National Aerospace Development US Senator Jerry Morgan is pushing the FAA to speed up the process for rocket launch licensing. He argues tha>[...]
From 2015 (YouTube Edition): Model Aviator Aims For Full-Scale Career While at the 2015 Indoor Electric RC Festival, referred to as eFest, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell>[...]
Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories ITBOA BNITBOB ... what does that mean? It's not gibberish, it's a lengthy acronym for "In The Business Of Aviation ... But Not In The Busine>[...]
Aero Linx: Cardinal Flyers Online The Cardinal Flyers Online Web site was created and is maintained by me, Keith Peterson. My wife Debbie and I have owned a 1976 RG since 1985. Wit>[...]
Clearance Void If Not Off By (Time) Used by ATC to advise an aircraft that the departure release is automatically canceled if takeoff is not made prior to a specified time. The exp>[...]