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19970211001489A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr COZY · San Martin, CA · February 11, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
February 11, 1997 · 11:15 local
Place
San Martin, CA
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N34PC
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX97LA102
Reported as
Amtr Cozy
Reported engine
Lycoming O320D2J
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
809 total58 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days
N34PCRegistration cancelled May 15, 2015 · Green Mike COZYS/N 566Airframe modelGreen Mike COZYEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Engine lost power and pilot made emergency landing in a parking lot. (.4)the pilot had throttled back for a descent but when he attempted to return to level flight, throttle movement failed to produce an increase in RPM. After several unsuccessful throttle movements, he declared an emergency and was directed toward the nearest airport. When it became apparent to him that he would not reach the runway, he made an emergency off airport, gear-up landing short of the airport boundary. Fuel was present in the carburetor and gascolator. The left main tank was empty but the right tank was nearly full. The fuel selector was found positioned on the right tank. The pilot reported contamination in the right tank and gascolator. Dirt was reportedly found at the bottom of the gascolator and red colored oil globules were found on the gascolator screen. Both dirt and oil were found in fuel from the right tank. The pilot told FAA inspectors that hydraulic lines are routed through both fuel tanks. There were no other deficiencies identified.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE LOST POWER AND PILOT MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PARKING LOT. (.4)THE PILOT HAD THROTTLED BACK FOR A DESCENT BUT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO LEVEL FLIGHT, THROTTLE MOVEMENT FAILED TO PRODUCE AN INCREASE IN RPM. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL THROTTLE MOVEMENTS, HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS DIRECTED TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT TO HIM THAT HE WOULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, HE MADE AN EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT, GEAR-UP LANDING SHORT OF THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR AND GASCOLATOR. THE LEFT MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY BUT THE RIGHT TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT REPORTED CONTAMINATION IN THE RIGHT TANK AND GASCOLATOR. DIRT WAS REPORTEDLY FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GASCOLATOR AND RED COLORED OIL GLOBULES WERE FOUND ON THE GASCOLATOR SCREEN. BOTH DIRT AND OIL WERE FOUND IN FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT TOLD FAA INSPECTORS THAT HYDRAULIC LINES ARE ROUTED THROUGH BOTH FUEL TANKS. THERE WERE NO OTHER DEFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97LA102Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSan Martin, CAA loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. A factor in the accident is the aircraft design, which routes hydraulic lines through the fuel tank.Feb 11, 1997 · Substantial damage