What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) On may 10, 2001, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a champion 7EC, N4737E, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Monson, Maine. The certificated student pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The airplane was equipped with floats. The student pilot stated that during the preflight inspection, he checked the fuel and oil quantity. However, he did not examine any fuel samples for contamination. The student pilot started the engine, and let it idle for approximately 10 minutes. He then circled Monson pond twice and tookoff about 1730. During the climb, the engine lost all power, and he performed a forced landing into trees. During the impact, both wings folded aft, and the floats separated. A federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage. He stated that the accident flight was the first flight after winter. During the examination, the inspector observed approximately 2 tablespoons of "watery sludge" in the gascolator. The inspector added that the pilot held his student certificate for several years, but had no current endorsements from a flight instructor. (-23) on the afternoon of may 10, 2001, Mr. Lloyd g. kelley, owner of N4737E, an Aeronca champ 7EC on floats, experienced a substantial power loss during climbout after departing from Monson pond in Monson, ME. The pilot was unable to regain sufficient power/restart, and the aircraft impacted trees in forested area. Aircraft wings separated from fuselage as did both floats. Aircraft came to rest on right side, with the cabin/fuselage relatively intact. Even though the pilot had suffered facial lacerations (which required hospitalization) he extricated himself from the aircraft and walked 3 miles. Post event investigation indicated presence of automotive fuel and significant contamination in gasolator which appeared to be rust, unknown particles and water. Review of maintenance records indicated aircraft had undergone several annual inspections but record entries indicated aircraft was not airworthy due to installation of unapproved floats. Although owner had proper authorization for use on auto fuel (STC) there was no maintenance record entry for installation. Owner, who is long term student pilot had not FL own with an instructor since fall of 2000 and had no endorsements for solo flight.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) ON MAY 10, 2001, ABOUT 1730 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CHAMPION 7EC, N4737E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR MONSON, MAINE. THE CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH FLOATS. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, HE CHECKED THE FUEL AND OIL QUANTITY. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT EXAMINE ANY FUEL SAMPLES FOR CONTAMINATION. THE STUDENT PILOT STARTED THE ENGINE, AND LET IT IDLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. HE THEN CIRCLED MONSON POND TWICE AND TOOKOFF ABOUT 1730. DURING THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, AND HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING INTO TREES. DURING THE IMPACT, BOTH WINGS FOLDED AFT, AND THE FLOATS SEPARATED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER WINTER. DURING THE EXAMINATION, THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 2 TABLESPOONS OF "WATERY SLUDGE" IN THE GASCOLATOR. THE INSPECTOR ADDED THAT THE PILOT HELD HIS STUDENT CERTIFICATE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT HAD NO CURRENT ENDORSEMENTS FROM A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. (-23) ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 10, 2001, MR. LLOYD G. KELLEY, OWNER OF N4737E, AN AERONCA CHAMP 7EC ON FLOATS, EXPERIENCED A SUBSTANTIAL POWER LOSS DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER DEPARTING FROM MONSON POND IN MONSON, ME. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN SUFFICIENT POWER/RESTART, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES IN FORESTED AREA. AIRCRAFT WINGS SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE AS DID BOTH FLOATS. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON RIGHT SIDE, WITH THE CABIN/FUSELAGE RELATIVELY INTACT. EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT HAD SUFFERED FACIAL LACERATIONS (WHICH REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION) HE EXTRICATED HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKED 3 MILES. POST EVENT INVESTIGATION INDICATED PRESENCE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL AND SIGNIFICANT CONTAMINATION IN GASOLATOR WHICH APPEARED TO BE RUST, UNKNOWN PARTICLES AND WATER. REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE SEVERAL ANNUAL INSPECTIONS BUT RECORD ENTRIES INDICATED AIRCRAFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY DUE TO INSTALLATION OF UNAPPROVED FLOATS. ALTHOUGH OWNER HAD PROPER AUTHORIZATION FOR USE ON AUTO FUEL (STC) THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRY FOR INSTALLATION. OWNER, WHO IS LONG TERM STUDENT PILOT HAD NOT FL OWN WITH AN INSTRUCTOR SINCE FALL OF 2000 AND HAD NO ENDORSEMENTS FOR SOLO FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4737E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.