20020622014149A

(-23) ON JUNE 22, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 EDT, A ACRO SPORT, REGISTERED TO DARRELL PROCTOR, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOTED BY DARRELL PROCTOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES EAST OF MARTINSVILLE (MTV), VA. AT 2500 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT INDICATED HE CHECKED FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE AND THE PRESSURE HAD DROPPED BELOW NORMAL. THE ENGINE STARTED TO REGAIN POWER AND PRESSURE AND ENGINE CUT OFF AGAIN. PILOT INDICATED THAT BY THE TIME HE MANUALLY PUMPED THE FUEL PUMP HE WAS ONLY 200 FEET OFF THE GROUND. THE PILOT INDICATED HE VEERED ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AT LOW ALTITUDE AND DID A HARD LANDING IN THE COW PASTURE. (.19) ON JUNE 22, 2002, AT 1430 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EAMES ACRO SPORT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, N16SE, OWNED BY AND REGISTERED TO THE COMMERCIAL PILOT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED MINO R INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED BLUE RIDGE AIRPORT IN MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA AT 1400. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE AIRPLANE WERE NOTED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2,500 FEET MSL, THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AT THAT TIME, THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE READ LESS THAN 5 PSI (NORMAL PRESSURE IS 15 PSI). THE ENGINE TEMPORARILY REGAINED POWER AND THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE READ 10-12 PSI. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE GAUGE AGAIN DROPPED BELOW 5 PSI FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ATTEMPTS BY THE PILOT TO REGAIN FUEL PRESSURE BY USE OF THE WOBBLE PUMP WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. AT 200 FEET AGL, THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING ROLL.