What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Twice, 1 month earlier, erratic engine operation noted following engine shutdown. During preflight 5 days before accident, fuel stain was noted on the nose landing gear wheel pant, fuel quantity not visually verified. After a flight 3 days before the accident, fuel leakage from carburetor noted. The pilot, non a & p mechanic diagnosed the discrepancy and did not have the carburetor examined. The airplane was flown to another Bahamas airport where 14 gallons of fuel were purchased; the fuel tanks were not filled based on the cost and for safety while flying over water. The pilot used a non-calibrated dipstick. The accident flight departed, and while on final approach after customs was knowingly closed, was advised of such. The flight proceeded towards another airport for customs clearance and while on final approach, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot landed the airplane on a road. Post accident examination of the carburetor revealed flooding at low throttle settings due to failed float hinge pin and missing and incorrectly installed hardware which would result in an increase in fuel flow at full rich position. The carburetor had accumulated 544 hours s ince installation following overhaul 5 years 11 months earlier. (-23) after diverting from fxe to pll due customs closure, experience an engine failure at 1000' on approach to rwy 13 at rll. Chose to land on sr 84 westbound. Contacted drawbridge with left gear (ripped it off) and as he landed on rt 84 without the left gear swerved into the divider rail. Tore the horizontal stabilizer from its position. Damaged flap on guard rail. Left fuselage was damaged in door area.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) TWICE, 1 MONTH EARLIER, ERRATIC ENGINE OPERATION NOTED FOLLOWING ENGINE SHUTDOWN. DURING PREFLIGHT 5 DAYS BEFORE ACCIDENT, FUEL STAIN WAS NOTED ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WHEEL PANT, FUEL QUANTITY NOT VISUALLY VERIFIED. AFTER A FLIGHT 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, FUEL LEAKAGE FROM CARBURETOR NOTED. THE PILOT, NON A & P MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE DISCREPANCY AND DID NOT HAVE THE CARBURETOR EXAMINED. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN TO ANOTHER BAHAMAS AIRPORT WHERE 14 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE PURCHASED; THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT FILLED BASED ON THE COST AND FOR SAFETY WHILE FLYING OVER WATER. THE PILOT USED A NON-CALIBRATED DIPSTICK. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED, AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH AFTER CUSTOMS WAS KNOWINGLY CLOSED, WAS ADVISED OF SUCH. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TOWARDS ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR CUSTOMS CLEARANCE AND WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON A ROAD. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED FLOODING AT LOW THROTTLE SETTINGS DUE TO FAILED FLOAT HINGE PIN AND MISSING AND INCORRECTLY INSTALLED HARDWARE WHICH WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN FUEL FLOW AT FULL RICH POSITION. THE CARBURETOR HAD ACCUMULATED 544 HOURS S INCE INSTALLATION FOLLOWING OVERHAUL 5 YEARS 11 MONTHS EARLIER. (-23) AFTER DIVERTING FROM FXE TO PLL DUE CUSTOMS CLOSURE, EXPERIENCE AN ENGINE FAILURE AT 1000' ON APPROACH TO RWY 13 AT RLL. CHOSE TO LAND ON SR 84 WESTBOUND. CONTACTED DRAWBRIDGE WITH LEFT GEAR (RIPPED IT OFF) AND AS HE LANDED ON RT 84 WITHOUT THE LEFT GEAR SWERVED INTO THE DIVIDER RAIL. TORE THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FROM ITS POSITION. DAMAGED FLAP ON GUARD RAIL. LEFT FUSELAGE WAS DAMAGED IN DOOR AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.