# Accident 19991218037069A: Amtr VELCITY173FG, Murfreesboro, TN, December 18, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 18, 1999, 09:17 local time - Place: Murfreesboro, TN - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.8495° N, 86.3903° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8495&lon=-86.3903&mi=10 - Aircraft: N627KB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N627KB-2000-07-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Swertfeger Kenneth W VELOCTY 173 ELITE FG (registry code 056055Y, https://openairdocs.org/model/swertfeger-kenneth-w-velocty-173-elite-fg) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR VELCITY173FG - Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C6 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 70 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA053) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991218037069A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON DECEMBER 18, 1999, AT ABOUT 0917 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A SWERTFEGER VELOCITY 173 ELITE, EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N627KB, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED WHILE ON APPROACH TO MURFREESBORO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, (MBT), MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DECATUR, ALABAMA, (DCU) AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED DCU FOLLOWING ANOTHER PILOT. HE HAD TALKED TO THE PILOTS WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR TAKEOFF AT DCU OVER THE AIRPLANE RADIO AND DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE ALL GOING TO THE SAME BREAKFAST FLY-IN. HE CAUGHT UP WITH THE OTHER TWO AIRPLANES WHILE EN ROUTE TO MBT. UPON ARRIVAL AT MBT, N627KB ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 18, AND HE WAS LOCATED BEHIND HIM. SOMEONE ANNOUNCED ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY THAT THEY WERE CHANGING THE LANDING RUNWAY TO RUNWAY 36. HE BROKE OUT OF THE CURRENT TRAFFIC PATTERN, ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 36, LANDED, AND TAXIED TO THE PARKING RAMP. A SHORT TIME LATER, HE HEARD N627KB STATE THAT HIS ENGINE WAS OUT. HE TURNED HIS AIRPLANE AROUND AND OBSERVED N627KB DISAPPEAR BEHIND THE TREES. (-23)ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1999 AT APPROX. 8:18 AM LOCAL TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL VELOCITY 173 ELITE A/C BUILT AND FLOWN BY^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 AT THE MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE AIRPORT. THE A/C, N627KB, CRASHED NEAR A RESIDENCE AT 1602 LEAF AVENUE, MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE, 37130.^PRIVACY DATA OM^THE ONLY OCCUPANT, SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE A/C SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE ACCIDENT. (.4)THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH FOR LANDING WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXP ERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SPARK PLUGS REVEALED VERY BLACK AND SOOTY. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE FLOW DIVIDER BUT WAS NOT PRESENT IN THE LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL SERVO AND FLOW DIVIDER. THE SERVO FUEL INJECTOR WAS REMOVED AND EXAMINED. THE FUEL DIAPHRAGM HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE SERVO FUEL INJECTOR WAS PLACED IN A TEST BENCH AND A FUNCTIONAL TEST PERFORMED. FUEL WAS POURING OUT OF THE VENTURI CAUSING ERRATIC AIR FLOW THROUGH THE REGULATOR AND ERRATIC AIR FLOW. THE AIR COVER AND DIAPHRAGM WAS REMOVED TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL DIAPHRAGM STEM WAS BENT. THE CENTER BODY WAS REMOVED WITH THE FUEL DIAPHRAGM ATTACHED TO THE CENTER BODY BELLOWS. THE BOTTOM CALIBRATION NUT WAS REMOVED FROM THE FUEL DIAPHRAGM STEM. THE FUEL DIAPHRAGM WAS REMOVED FROM THE BELLOWS AND A LEAKAGE CHECK WAS PERFORMED. THE BELLOWS WAS SPLIT AND AIR WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE BELLOWS. APPROPRIATE AD'S AND SB'S HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT POWER LOSS DUE TO AN OVER RICH CONDITION. ## 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 MIA00LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA053), Dec 18, 1999: Swertfeger Velocity 173 Elite (N627KB), Murfreesboro, TN, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of an unknown maintenance person to comply with an Airworthiness Directive (replace center body bellows seal assembly and tube bushings) and Service Bulletin (replace fuel diaphragm)… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.