What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot reported that he departed 2W5, Maryland airport, indian head Maryland, to bxm, brunswick executive airport, brunswick Maine. Time enroute was planned and filed for 3 hours and conservatively afforded 45 minutes of reserve time. The pilot reported normal start, taxi and takeoff however climbout was restricted to 1500?. The pilot also reported weather along route from new york city to portland that required altitude and course deviations to avoid build-ups. At approximately 10 NM northeast of portland, pilot reported pending engine failure and landed at Farr Field, ME33.
The pilot stated, ?in retrospect, I believe the following were key contributing factors.
The propeller flown has recently been installed on the aircraft and its specifications call for a higher RPM than I typically fly. Previous test data, to include a cross-country flight from northern Alabama to northern Virginia indicated a 7.9 gallons/hour rate of consumption. The weather/winds in the brunswick profile kept me at no higher than 7,500? MSL; an average reduction of 3,000 feet from the test sortie. This along with a higher RPM produced a significantly higher rate of consumption; likely more than an additional 2 gallons/hour. Though a lesser factor, course deviations for weather were likely also a contributing factor. Lastly, the additional weight of my wife and her luggage were nearly 80 lbs. More than the gear/luggage packed with me on the previous test cross-country. Taken together, these kinds of elements appear to have a significant negative effect on fuel efficiency."
Upon inspection of the aircraft, found both wing tanks empty, right landing gear bent aft, firewall damage near right landing gear attachment and tail damage near tailwheel.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED 2W5, MARYLAND AIRPORT, INDIAN HEAD MARYLAND, TO BXM, BRUNSWICK EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, BRUNSWICK MAINE. TIME ENROUTE WAS PLANNED AND FILED FOR 3 HOURS AND CONSERVATIVELY AFFORDED 45 MINUTES OF RESERVE TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED NORMAL START, TAXI AND TAKEOFF HOWEVER CLIMBOUT WAS RESTRICTED TO 1500?. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED WEATHER ALONG ROUTE FROM NEW YORK CITY TO PORTLAND THAT REQUIRED ALTITUDE AND COURSE DEVIATIONS TO AVOID BUILD-UPS. AT APPROXIMATELY 10 NM NORTHEAST OF PORTLAND, PILOT REPORTED PENDING ENGINE FAILURE AND LANDED AT FARR FIELD, ME33.
THE PILOT STATED, ?IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING WERE KEY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
THE PROPELLER FLOWN HAS RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT AND ITS SPECIFICATIONS CALL FOR A HIGHER RPM THAN I TYPICALLY FLY. PREVIOUS TEST DATA, TO INCLUDE A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM NORTHERN ALABAMA TO NORTHERN VIRGINIA INDICATED A 7.9 GALLONS/HOUR RATE OF CONSUMPTION. THE WEATHER/WINDS IN THE BRUNSWICK PROFILE KEPT ME AT NO HIGHER THAN 7,500? MSL; AN AVERAGE REDUCTION OF 3,000 FEET FROM THE TEST SORTIE. THIS ALONG WITH A HIGHER RPM PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATE OF CONSUMPTION; LIKELY MORE THAN AN ADDITIONAL 2 GALLONS/HOUR. THOUGH A LESSER FACTOR, COURSE DEVIATIONS FOR WEATHER WERE LIKELY ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. LASTLY, THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT OF MY WIFE AND HER LUGGAGE WERE NEARLY 80 LBS. MORE THAN THE GEAR/LUGGAGE PACKED WITH ME ON THE PREVIOUS TEST CROSS-COUNTRY. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE KINDS OF ELEMENTS APPEAR TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE EFFECT ON FUEL EFFICIENCY."
UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, FOUND BOTH WING TANKS EMPTY, RIGHT LANDING GEAR BENT AFT, FIREWALL DAMAGE NEAR RIGHT LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND TAIL DAMAGE NEAR TAILWHEEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.