# Accident 20120827019329A: Waco UPF-7, Jim Falls, WI, August 27, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2012, 13:45 local time
- Place: Jim Falls, WI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.0433° N, 91.2708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0433&lon=-91.2708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32011, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32011) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Waco UPF-7 (registry code 9601302, https://openairdocs.org/model/waco-upf-7) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental W670 series (registry code 17018, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WACO UPF-7
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR W670 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,900 total, 25 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12LA582](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA582) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120827019329A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL THE NIGHT PRIOR TO FLIGHT.  PREFLIGHT NOTED BLUE DYE FROM FUEL OVERFLOW ON RIGHT WING BELOW FUEL VENT.  AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT AFTER 1.5 HOURS OF CRIUSE FLIGHT.  PILOT WAS ABLE TO RESTART ENGINE WITH CARB HEAT ON AND IT RAN FOR ANOTHER 10-15 SECONDS BEFORE QUITING A SECOND TIME.  PILOT VERIFIED FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN BOTH POSITION.  SECOND ATTEMPT TO RESTART ENGINE BY FORWARD AND AFT STICK MOVEMENT, RESULTED IN SHORT BURST OF ENGINE POWER BEFORE FINALLY QUITTING.  ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FARM FIELD BUT LEFT MAIN GEAR HIT GATE POST, TEARING LH GEAR FROM AIRCRAFT.   AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ALONG UNTIL IT TIPPED UP ON IT'S NOSE, COMING TO A STOP WITH TAIL NEARLY VERTICAL.  IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WINGS.  ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER FUEL WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT WING VENT TUBE.  WHEN AIRCRAFT WAS SET BACK DOWN IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, THE AIRCRAFT TECHNICIAN ESTIMATED THERE WAS BETWEEN 15 AND 20 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT WING, NONE IN THE LEFT.DETAILS PROVIDED BY PILOT, WITNESSES AND THE AIRCRAFT TECHNICIAN INSPECTION FINDINGS OF THIS EVENT, SUGGESTS THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK VENT HAD VERY LIKELY HAD AN OBSTRUCTION WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PROPER FUEL FLOW.  SUPPORTING THIS POSSIBLE CONCLUSION IS THE BLUE DYE STAIN THAT WAS ON THE RIGHT WING AT PREFLIGHT.  THE DYE IS KNOWN TO LEAVE RESIDUE.  ONCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOSE DOWN AND FUEL AND FUEL WEIGHT ON THE VENT TUBE COULD HAVE LIKELY DISOLVED AND OBSTRUCTION, ALLOWING FUEL TO ONCE AGAIN FLOW AS WITNESSED 45 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 CEN12LA582](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA582), Aug 27, 2012: Waco UPF-7 (N32011), Jim Falls, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The blockage of the right fuel tank vent, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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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