# Accident 20040318005209A: Swftms GC1B, Placerville, CA, March 18, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2004, 14:30 local time
- Place: Placerville, CA
- Airport: Placerville Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.7211° N, 120.7586° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7211&lon=-120.7586&mi=10
- Aircraft: N369BZ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N369BZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Globe GC-1B (registry code 9230104, https://openairdocs.org/model/globe-gc-1b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C125 series (registry code 17011, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c125-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWFTMS GC1B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,000 total, 700 in this make and model, 102 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA166) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040318005209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## 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 LAX04LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA166), Mar 18, 2004: Globe GC-1B (N369BZ), Placerville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a 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…

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.

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