# Accident 19960930046889A: Amtr ACROSPORTII, Cumberland, MD, September 30, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 30, 1996, 18:46 local time
- Place: Cumberland, MD
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.6191° N, 78.7609° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6191&lon=-78.7609&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30803, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Merritt Glendon Lee ACRO SPORT II (registry code 05624YZ, https://openairdocs.org/model/merritt-glendon-lee-acro-sport-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ACROSPORTII
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD96LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA155) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960930046889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-16) PILOT TOOK REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS DURING PREFLIGHT PHASE TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND CHARACTERISTICS. PILOT TOOK REASONABLE CARE IN VERIFYING ADEQUACY OF FUEL QUANTITY BEFORE TAKEOFF USING FUEL STICK AND SIGHT GUAGE TUBE, THOUGH AIRCRAFT WAS NOT TOPPED OFF FOR THIS FLIGHT. UNBEKNOWNST TO BUILDER AND PILOT THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO A DIMINISHING OF ADEQUATE FUEL PRESSURE TO CARBURETOR DURING THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS CONDITION WOULD BE LOW FUEL VOLUME, LACK OF AN ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, UNKNOWN OUTPUT OF THE OWNER-INSTALLED ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP, LACK OF ADEQUATE GRAVITY FEED FROM TANK TO THE OWNER-INSTALLED ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP, LACK OF ADEQUATE GRAVITY FEED FROM TANK TO THE CARBURETOR WHEN CONSIDERING THE LONG RUN OF THE FUEL LINE TO THE REAR COCKPIT AND FORWARD TO THE ENGINE, AND THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK, WHICH WAS NOT FURNISHED WITH A SEDIMENT DRAIN. PILOT HAD PERFORMED PREVIOUS TEST FLIGHT IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND USED SAME PROCEDURE FOR THIS TAKEOFF. WHEN ENGINE FAILED PILOT APPEARED TO DO A GOOD JOB OF EXECUTING FORCED LANDING WITHIN AIRPORT BOUNDARY, CONSIDERING HOSTILE TERRAIN SURROUNDING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD96LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA155), Sep 30, 1996: Merritt Acro Sport II (N30803), Cumberland, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to select the electric fuel boost pump during take off which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the subsequent forced landing. A factor to this accident…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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