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20040318005209A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Swftms GC-1B · Placerville, CA · March 18, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 18, 2004 · 14:30 local
Place
Placerville, CA
Airport
Placerville Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N369BZ
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX04LA166
Reported as
Swftms GC1B
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
9,000 total700 in this make and model102 in the last 90 days
N369BZRegistered now · Globe GC-1BS/N 1302 · Built 1946Airframe modelGlobe GC-1BEngine modelContinental C125 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) After taking off, pilot stated that the aircraft engine lost power. Pilot attempted to turn around and land on the runway. Aircraft crashed adjacent to the runway into some trees. Aircraft was destroyed, the pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. (-23 amendment) FAA & engine investigator during a field examination of the aircraft found no general discrepancies with the engine. Spark plugs were examined, crank shaft rotated normal & produced compression, magnetos generated spark. No fuel was found in fuel lines or in the manifold valve. During further examination of the fuel system the fuel strainer was disassembled & examined. Both the upper & lower rubber gaskets were 1/8 to 3/16 smaller in diameter than the canister & top & bottom cover. The gasket were also extremely hard & the upper gasket was deformed. This could have created an air leak under suction. The engine driven fuel pump had a fitting damaged on impact. The pump was removed & NTSB is having it tested.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER TAKING OFF, PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND AND LAND ON THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT CRASHED ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY INTO SOME TREES. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. (-23 AMENDMENT) FAA & ENGINE INVESTIGATOR DURING A FIELD EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND NO GENERAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINE. SPARK PLUGS WERE EXAMINED, CRANK SHAFT ROTATED NORMAL & PRODUCED COMPRESSION, MAGNETOS GENERATED SPARK. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN FUEL LINES OR IN THE MANIFOLD VALVE. DURING FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM THE FUEL STRAINER WAS DISASSEMBLED & EXAMINED. BOTH THE UPPER & LOWER RUBBER GASKETS WERE 1/8 TO 3/16 SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN THE CANISTER & TOP & BOTTOM COVER. THE GASKET WERE ALSO EXTREMELY HARD & THE UPPER GASKET WAS DEFORMED. THIS COULD HAVE CREATED AN AIR LEAK UNDER SUCTION. THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD A FITTING DAMAGED ON IMPACT. THE PUMP WAS REMOVED & NTSB IS HAVING IT TESTED.

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 LAX04LA166Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPlacerville, CAa loss of engine power due to an improperly sized and installed set of sealing gaskets in the gascolator, which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for the forced landing.Mar 18, 2004 · Substantial damage