OpenAirDocs.org

20100320030239I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Batchelor M Hurricane H · Auburn, CA · March 20, 2010

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 20, 2010 · 18:39 local
Place
Auburn, CA
Airport
Auburn Municipal
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N212YP
Reported as
Batchelor M Hurricane H
Reported engine
Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,000 total350 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days
N212YPRegistration cancelled Apr 22, 2010 · Batchelor Mark HURRICANE HPS/N 9825HP · Built 1998Airframe modelBatchelor Mark HURRICANE HPEngine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

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.

On March 20, 2010, at approximately 1833 hrs, N212YP an experimental amateur built, hurricane aircraft departed the Auburn, CA airport for a local pleasure flight. At an altitude of approximately 2500 ft. MSL, the engine abruptly stopped running. The pilot made a forced landing near applegate rd. adjacent interstate 80 in Auburn, CA. The aircraft landed at approximately 35 mph and sustained moderate damage. The pilot reported no injuries. The wing support tubing was damaged. One blade of the propeller was damaged when it struck an object. The California highway patrol responded to the scene and contacted the NTSB. The NTSB approved the removal of the aircraft from the scene. The owner partially disassembled the aircraft and transported it to private property. The aircraft was inspected on 3/29/2010. It was noted that an "annual" inspection was recorded in the log book on 8/3/2009. The engine was visually examined without teardown. It was noted that new fuel lines were installed on the engine. The owner stated that he installed the lines the day of the crash and that he bought the tubing at an ultra light store in hayward, CA. It was noted that there were no hose clamps on the fuel lines. They were secured with "tie-wraps." Photographs were taken of the aircraft and sent to the NTSB and engine manufacturer Rotax. The Rotax safety representative commented that the tie-wrap type clamps are not an acceptable method to secure the fuel tubing to the engine and aircraft fittings. He further stated that such a clamping method would encourage air to enter the fuel system which is suspected as the cause of the engine stoppage. The results of the FAA findings were discussed with the NTSB. The NTSB is satisfied with the comments of the Rotax safety rep. And that the NTSB will not investigate further. The probable cause of the sudden engine stoppage was improper fuel line clamps causing air to enter the fuel system. An enforcement investigation will be opened with regards to improper maintenance.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 20, 2010, AT APPROXIMATELY 1833 HRS, N212YP AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT, HURRICANE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE AUBURN, CA AIRPORT FOR A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 2500 FT. MSL, THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING NEAR APPLEGATE RD. ADJACENT INTERSTATE 80 IN AUBURN, CA. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE WING SUPPORT TUBING WAS DAMAGED. ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK AN OBJECT. THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND CONTACTED THE NTSB. THE NTSB APPROVED THE REMOVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE SCENE. THE OWNER PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED THE AIRCRAFT AND TRANSPORTED IT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED ON 3/29/2010. IT WAS NOTED THAT AN "ANNUAL" INSPECTION WAS RECORDED IN THE LOG BOOK ON 8/3/2009. THE ENGINE WAS VISUALLY EXAMINED WITHOUT TEARDOWN. IT WAS NOTED THAT NEW FUEL LINES WERE INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE. THE OWNER STATED THAT HE INSTALLED THE LINES THE DAY OF THE CRASH AND THAT HE BOUGHT THE TUBING AT AN ULTRA LIGHT STORE IN HAYWARD, CA. IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO HOSE CLAMPS ON THE FUEL LINES. THEY WERE SECURED WITH "TIE-WRAPS." PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SENT TO THE NTSB AND ENGINE MANUFACTURER ROTAX. THE ROTAX SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTED THAT THE TIE-WRAP TYPE CLAMPS ARE NOT AN ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO SECURE THE FUEL TUBING TO THE ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT FITTINGS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT SUCH A CLAMPING METHOD WOULD ENCOURAGE AIR TO ENTER THE FUEL SYSTEM WHICH IS SUSPECTED AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE RESULTS OF THE FAA FINDINGS WERE DISCUSSED WITH THE NTSB. THE NTSB IS SATISFIED WITH THE COMMENTS OF THE ROTAX SAFETY REP. AND THAT THE NTSB WILL NOT INVESTIGATE FURTHER. THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE WAS IMPROPER FUEL LINE CLAMPS CAUSING AIR TO ENTER THE FUEL SYSTEM. AN ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION WILL BE OPENED WITH REGARDS TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.