20100727040509A

ON 07/27/2010, AT APPROXIMATELY 1250Z, A HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL WOLSELEY SE5-A CRASHED IN THE GRASS, APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET SOUTHWEST OF RUNWAY 14-32 AT FREEMAN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (SER), LOCATED IN SEYMOUR, INDIANA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION, POINTING TO THE NORTHWEST. THE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE TAXIED FROM THE HANGAR TO RUNWAY 14, INCREASED POWER ON THE ENGINE TO CHECK FOR NORMAL OPERATION (THERE ARE NO MAGNETOS), THEN BEGAN A NORMAL TAKEOFF ROLL.AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WENT "SILENT." HE STATED THAT HE LEVELED THE NOSE AND ATTEMPTED TO CYCLE THE FUEL PUMP SWITCHES PRIOR TO THE RIGHT WING DROPPING AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTING THE GROUND.THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE EXAMINED, AND CONTAINED NO FUEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST CRASH FIRE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL ON THE GROUND UNDER, AROUND, OR NEAR THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS SHOWED NO DOCUMENTATION OF REPAIRS MADE SINCE A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT, ON 06/23/2008, NOR WAS THERE AN ENTRY INDICATING THAT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS NOTED AS TAKING PLACE ON 06/19/2008.THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS CONDUCTING THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THIS AIRCRAFT, FOLLOWING A REBUILD OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO DAMAGE FROM THE PREVIOUS ACCIDENT.THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD PERFORMED SOME MAINTENANCE ON THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, INCLUDING RECALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GUAGE, AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FUEL PRESSURE, FROM 58 PSI TO 62.5 PSI.THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED THAT HE HAD FUELED THE AIRCRAFT 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS PREFLIGHT ACTIVITIES THE PILOT DID NOT MENTION CHECKING FUEL UNTIL SPECIFICALLY ASKED. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO CHECK THE FUEL WAS TO LOOK AT THE ELECTRIC FUEL QUANTITY GUAGE.