20120413004459A

ON 4/13/2012 RECIEVED CALL FROM COMM CENTER ADVISING OF AIRCRAFT DOWN IN THE TREES IN THE VICINITY OF THE FALMOUTH AIRPARK (5B6). WAS ADVISED THAT THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 ON 4/13/2012. THE CLOSEST ADDRESS IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OBSERVED AIRCRAFT N24V SITTING APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET OFF THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IS AN EXPERMENTAL AMATURE BUILT MURPHY REBEL. FIRE FIGHTERS ON THE SCENE ADVISED THAT FUEL HAD BEEN LEAKING FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THERE HAD BEEN A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN THE AREA. AT THIS TIME NO FUEL COULD BE SMELLED AND THERE WAS NO LONGER FUEL LEAKING FROM THE AIRCRAFT.AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HRS THIS INSPECTOR INTERVIEWED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT HIS HOME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PRESENTED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND A THRRD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE THAT WAS ISSUED ON 9/24/2008. HE STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AS A SPORT PILOT AND FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT FROM FALMOUTH AIRPARK TO FITCHBURG, MA (FIT) AND WAS RETURNING TO FALMOUTH. HE STATED THAT IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES TO GET TO FITCHBURG AND APPROXIMATELY THIRTY FIVE MINUTES TO RETURN DUE TO THE WINDS ALOFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD ABOUT TWENTY TWO GALLONS OF FUEL ON THE AIRCRAFT WHEN HE DEPARTED FALMOUTH AIRPARK.HE WAS PLANNING ON LANDING ON RUNWAY 7 AT FALMOUTH AIRPARK AND UPON ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE ENGINE STARTED TO FALTER. HE STATED THAT HE PUT THE CARBURATOR HEAT ON BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE FALTERING ENGINE. HE SAID THAT HE LOOKED AT THE FUEL GUAGES IN THE AIRCRAFT AND THEY WERE INDICATING ABOUT FOUR GALLONS IN EACH OF THE TWO TANKS.HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ENGINE FALTED A COUPLE OF TIMES , HE MADE A DISTRESS CALL ON THE CTAF FREQUENCY AND THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. HE TOLD ME THAT HE DID ATTEMPT A RESTART TO NO AVAIL,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND CONSIDERED A CRANBERRY BOG. HOWEVER HE TOLD ME THAT TO GET TO THE BOG HE WOULD HAVE TO FLY OVER HOUSES AND THE RUNWAY AT FALMOUTH AIR PARK WAS APPROXIMATLEY THE SAME DISTANCE FROM HIS LOCATION. HE SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO 60 MPH AND FLEW TO THE TREES, FLAIRING THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE TREES. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES HE SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST HE GRABBED HIS JACKET AND BRIEF CASE AND CLIMBED A TREE TO THE GROUND.ON 4/15/2012 RETURNED TO CRASH SCENE ACCOMPANIED BY AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR CRAIG HILTZ. AIRCRAFT SALVAGE PERSONEL REMOVED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE TREES AND PLACED IT ON THE GROUND, RESTING THE AIRCRAFT UP RIGHT ON IT'S LANDING GEAR.THE AIRCRAFT COWL WAS REMOVED AND THE ENGINE INSPECTED FOR SIGNS OF DAMAGE. THE #2 CYLINDER EXHAUST STACK WAS BROKEN OFF. EXHAUST STAINS WERE FOUND IN THE AREA OF THE BREAK THAT WERE CONSISTANT WITH THIS EXHAUST STACK BEING BROKEN FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME. THE #3 EXHAUST STACK WAS SEVERED IN A MANNER CONSISTANT WITH POST CRASH DAMAGE. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE IN A CONDITION CONSISTANT WITH NORMAL COMBUSTION IN THE CYLINDERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BOTTOM PLUGS ON THE # 1 AND 3 CYLINDER. THESE WERE OIL SOAKED AND AS THEY WERE ON THE LOW SIDE OF THE ENGINE AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS HANGING IN THE TREES APPEARS TO BE OIL SEPAGE INTO THE CYLINDERS POST CRASH.APPROXAMITELY 1 TO 1 1/4 CUP OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FIREWALL MOUNTED GASCOLATOR,. FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE CARBURETOR.THE PROPELLER WAS PULLED THROUGH AND COMPRESSION WAS FELT IN ALL CYLINDERS.THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEFULED. 2 1/2 GALLON WAS REMOVED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. NO FUEL WAS FOUNF IN THE LEFT TANK.