19990522023889A

(.19) ON MAY 22, 1999, AT 1412 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT SEA REY, N100RZ, WAS DESTROYED DURING COLLISION WITH TREES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM MAYERS AIRFIELD, A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP IN ASHLAND, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED ABOUT, 1410. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 27. HE SAID THE INITIAL CLIMB WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THAT THE AIRPLANE CLEARED THE TREES OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE FIELD. HE SAID HE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE RPM FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT SAID: "I CHECKED THE RPM AND I THINK IT FELL OFF ABOUT 3,000 RPM. THEN IT JUST QUIT. ALL I REMEMBER SEEING IS TREES." ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS AT THE AIRFIELD:ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS AT THE AIRFIELD: "HE TOOK OFF AND EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. HE CLEARED THE TREES BY 75 OR 100 FEET. THEN THE POWER JUST WENT TO IDLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT THROTTLED BACK. IT CUT BACK TO LESS THAN HALF THROTTLE AND THEN IT WENT BACK TO WIDE OPEN. THE ENGINE DEFINITELY CUT BACK AND THEN CAME BACK ON STRONG, BUT BY THEN HE WAS SETTLING IN. THEN IT WENT OUT OF SIGHT BELOW THE TREES." THE OWNER RECOVERED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW HE SAID THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE OWNER SAID THE FUEL LINE WAS INTACT TO THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, AND REMOVAL OF THE LINE RELEASED FUEL UNDER PRESSURE. THE ENGINE AND CARBURETOR WERE REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. (.4)THE HOME-BUILT AIRPLANE, EQUIPPED WITH A 2 CYCLE NON-CERTIFICATED ENGINE, DEPARTED ON A TEST FLIGHT AFTER INSTALLATION OF A NEW ENGINE IGNITION PART. THE PART WAS INSTALLED IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE A RECURRENCE OF ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE THE TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED A MECHANIC EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE IN THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TO 'DETERMINE WHERE LOSS OF POWER IS FROM.' AFTER THE WORK, A NOTE WAS ATTACHED TO THE WORK ORDER DESCRIBING A LOSS OF POWER DURING CLIMB OUT, AIR BUBBLES IN THE FUEL LINE, AND THE CU STOMER'S NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE FUEL SYSTEM FURTHER. THE MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE BUBBLES DISAPPEARED FROM THE LINE, AND THE BOOSTER PUMP WAS ENGAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A CHAFFED FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP. TH ENGINE STARTED AND RAN IN A TEST CELL AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. (-23)ON MAY 22, 1999, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT SEARAY 1 MK 100 N100RZ OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , TOOK AFTER FROM A PRIVATE FIELD (MAYERS FIELD) IN ASHLAND, VIRGINIA, FOR A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. JUST AFTER ROTATION AT AN ALTITUDE OF LESS THAN ONE-HUNDRED FEET ACCORDING TO A WITNESS AND THE PILOTS STATEMENT, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. A DROP IN PROPELLER RPM FORM 4600 RPM TO 2500 RPM WAS EXPERIENCED AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED AREA RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION FAILED TO IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS, HOWEVER, A FLEXIBLE FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS NOTED AS CHAFFED WITH A SMALL HOLE IN THE CENTER THAT WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH CRASH DAMAGE. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN TAGGED (FAA FORM 8020-2) AND SENT TO LOCKWOOD AVIATION, LTD., SEBRING. FLORIDA, FOR ENGINE TEST RUN AND TARE DOWN REPORT WITH SUSPECT FUEL LINE ATTECHED. AMENDED REPORT TO FOLLOW.