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20020516012089A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Gulstm G-44 · Boise, ID · May 16, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 16, 2002 · 17:30 local
Place
Boise, ID
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N700BL
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA02FA083
Reported as
Gulstm G44
Fatal injuries
0
N700BLRegistration cancelled Oct 24, 2013 · Grumman G-44S/N 1377 · Built 1944Airframe modelGrumman G-44Engine modelContinental I0-470 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.

(-23) Shortly after take-off the pilot of the twin engine Grumman widgeon, model G-44, experienced a loss of power in the right engine and declared an emergency prior to crashing into the rooftop of a residence. Post accident investigation revealed the main fuel strainer for the right engine to be significantly obstructed with nonferrous metal particles. The fuel inlet screen in the fuel control unit and fuel inlet screen in the fuel manifold valve for the right engine was found to be free of any contamination. Further investigation of the right wing's integral fuel tank sump revealed an appreciable amount of the same metal particles along with a small machine screw, a small flat washer and several pieces of pink colored fuel cell sealant. Both fuel tanks were drained and filtered. The left tank and main fuel strainer contained no metal particles and were relatively clean. No abnormalities were discovered in the right engine drive train, cylinder compression, air induction system, nor either magneto's output.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF THE PILOT OF THE TWIN ENGINE GRUMMAN WIDGEON, MODEL G-44, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY PRIOR TO CRASHING INTO THE ROOFTOP OF A RESIDENCE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN FUEL STRAINER FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY OBSTRUCTED WITH NONFERROUS METAL PARTICLES. THE FUEL INLET SCREEN IN THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT AND FUEL INLET SCREEN IN THE FUEL MANIFOLD VALVE FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND TO BE FREE OF ANY CONTAMINATION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE RIGHT WING'S INTEGRAL FUEL TANK SUMP REVEALED AN APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF THE SAME METAL PARTICLES ALONG WITH A SMALL MACHINE SCREW, A SMALL FLAT WASHER AND SEVERAL PIECES OF PINK COLORED FUEL CELL SEALANT. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED AND FILTERED. THE LEFT TANK AND MAIN FUEL STRAINER CONTAINED NO METAL PARTICLES AND WERE RELATIVELY CLEAN. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DRIVE TRAIN, CYLINDER COMPRESSION, AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM, NOR EITHER MAGNETO'S OUTPUT.

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 SEA02FA083Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportBoise, IDA blocked fuel line that resulted in fuel starvation to the engine and the pilot's failure to follow emergency procedures. A contamination of metal flakes on the fuel filter, and an inadequate annual inspection were factors.May 16, 2002 · Substantial damage