What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to the pilot (new owner of one day) while in cruise flight the O-300 Continental engine sputter once and quit. The pilot (high time helicopter, 300 hour fixed wing) performed recommended emergency procedures, to no avail and was forced to land off airport. During the off airport attempt the left wing contacted a tree ripping the wing off the fuselage and proceeded to catch fire. In this fire, which consumed the left wing, the aircraft records were destroyed. The major portion of the aircraft was saved. History and more facts: three weeks prior to this accident (at redstone arsenal, huntsville, AL) this aircraft experienced engine failure, cause was determined to be water in fuel system. Army investigators and a local FAA FSDO inspector determined that steep turns and other aerial maneuvers dislodged water in the fuel system. This caused further inspection of the fuel system. This inspection revealed the collapse of the right fuel tank. The metal tank appeared to have been sucked down by vacuum pressure. This damage appeared to be old. This fuel tank was replaced two days before the accident flight. The mechanic who performed the changing of the fuel tank stated he thoroughly inspected all fuel system components. At the accident site fuel was noted in the undamaged wing and the gasculator was full of 100 avgas. The fuel line from the gasculator to the carburetor, as well as the carburetor, contained no fuel. The fuel selector was on the right tank. Further investigation by Continental motors and the FAA noted a needle value in the marvel schebler ma 35PA 10-443, serial number S-4 5751 was sticking. All other engine components tested showed no malfunctions and continuity was determined.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT (NEW OWNER OF ONE DAY) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE O-300 CONTINENTAL ENGINE SPUTTER ONCE AND QUIT. THE PILOT (HIGH TIME HELICOPTER, 300 HOUR FIXED WING) PERFORMED RECOMMENDED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, TO NO AVAIL AND WAS FORCED TO LAND OFF AIRPORT. DURING THE OFF AIRPORT ATTEMPT THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A TREE RIPPING THE WING OFF THE FUSELAGE AND PROCEEDED TO CATCH FIRE. IN THIS FIRE, WHICH CONSUMED THE LEFT WING, THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE DESTROYED. THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SAVED. HISTORY AND MORE FACTS: THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT (AT REDSTONE ARSENAL, HUNTSVILLE, AL) THIS AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE, CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE WATER IN FUEL SYSTEM. ARMY INVESTIGATORS AND A LOCAL FAA FSDO INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT STEEP TURNS AND OTHER AERIAL MANEUVERS DISLODGED WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THIS INSPECTION REVEALED THE COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE METAL TANK APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN SUCKED DOWN BY VACUUM PRESSURE. THIS DAMAGE APPEARED TO BE OLD. THIS FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE CHANGING OF THE FUEL TANK STATED HE THOROUGHLY INSPECTED ALL FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE FUEL WAS NOTED IN THE UNDAMAGED WING AND THE GASCULATOR WAS FULL OF 100 AVGAS. THE FUEL LINE FROM THE GASCULATOR TO THE CARBURETOR, AS WELL AS THE CARBURETOR, CONTAINED NO FUEL. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY CONTINENTAL MOTORS AND THE FAA NOTED A NEEDLE VALUE IN THE MARVEL SCHEBLER MA 35PA 10-443, SERIAL NUMBER S-4 5751 WAS STICKING. ALL OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS TESTED SHOWED NO MALFUNCTIONS AND CONTINUITY WAS DETERMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.