What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/30/2020 at 1500 CDT, a Gossen richard n. jr. model RV-12, s/n 120362, N218DG, made an emergency landing on U.S.route 290, approximately 1 mile west of carmine, TX, when the aircraft encountered an inflight fuel leak . The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight, which originated at georgetown municipal airport (kgtu) with the final destination of houston executive airport (ktme). The aircraft received minor damage to the leading edge of the left wing, which contacted a mailbox while taxiing off of the highway. On 10/31/2020, the wings were removed and the aircraft was placed on a flatbed and moved back to georgetown, TX.
The pilot stated that he was inflight between giddings (gyb) and brenham (11R) when he noticed fuel exiting the sides of the engine cowl and entering the cabin through the air vents. He reduced power and headed towards gyb, but learned that the runway at grb was under construction, with men and equipment on the runway. After determining that grb was unsuitable for a landing, he headed for 11R. As he approached route 290, the fuel leak had worsened and fuel entering the cabin had increased. He elected to land the aircraft on U.S.route 290.
The aircraft records indicate that the last aircraft conditional inspection was completed at airframe total time: 518.2 on June 3, 2020. The conditional inspection was completed in accordance with 14 CFR part 43, appendix d. at the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 31.8 hours since the conditional inspection. The owner confirmed the source of the fuel leak to be the fuel inlet hose attachment to the fuel injector rail. The aircraft is equipped with a high pressure fuel system, which consists of automotive grade components. The fuel inlet line conforms to the sae 30R14T2 standard and was held in place on the fuel injector rail fitting with a worm gear hose clamp. The currently installed engine is manufactured by privacy data omitted, and replaced the original viking engine, with the aircraft re-entering and completing phase 1 test criteria, as specified in the aircraft operating limitations.
When the NTSB report and any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/30/2020 AT 1500 CDT, A GOSSEN RICHARD N. JR. MODEL RV-12, S/N 120362, N218DG, MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON U.S.ROUTE 290, APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF CARMINE, TX, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED AN INFLIGHT FUEL LEAK . THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED AT GEORGETOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KGTU) WITH THE FINAL DESTINATION OF HOUSTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KTME). THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING, WHICH CONTACTED A MAILBOX WHILE TAXIING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. ON 10/31/2020, THE WINGS WERE REMOVED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED ON A FLATBED AND MOVED BACK TO GEORGETOWN, TX.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS INFLIGHT BETWEEN GIDDINGS (GYB) AND BRENHAM (11R) WHEN HE NOTICED FUEL EXITING THE SIDES OF THE ENGINE COWL AND ENTERING THE CABIN THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. HE REDUCED POWER AND HEADED TOWARDS GYB, BUT LEARNED THAT THE RUNWAY AT GRB WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH MEN AND EQUIPMENT ON THE RUNWAY. AFTER DETERMINING THAT GRB WAS UNSUITABLE FOR A LANDING, HE HEADED FOR 11R. AS HE APPROACHED ROUTE 290, THE FUEL LEAK HAD WORSENED AND FUEL ENTERING THE CABIN HAD INCREASED. HE ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON U.S.ROUTE 290.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRCRAFT CONDITIONAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 518.2 ON JUNE 3, 2020. THE CONDITIONAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR PART 43, APPENDIX D. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 31.8 HOURS SINCE THE CONDITIONAL INSPECTION. THE OWNER CONFIRMED THE SOURCE OF THE FUEL LEAK TO BE THE FUEL INLET HOSE ATTACHMENT TO THE FUEL INJECTOR RAIL. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM, WHICH CONSISTS OF AUTOMOTIVE GRADE COMPONENTS. THE FUEL INLET LINE CONFORMS TO THE SAE 30R14T2 STANDARD AND WAS HELD IN PLACE ON THE FUEL INJECTOR RAIL FITTING WITH A WORM GEAR HOSE CLAMP. THE CURRENTLY INSTALLED ENGINE IS MANUFACTURED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND REPLACED THE ORIGINAL VIKING ENGINE, WITH THE AIRCRAFT RE-ENTERING AND COMPLETING PHASE 1 TEST CRITERIA, AS SPECIFIED IN THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING LIMITATIONS.
WHEN THE NTSB REPORT AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.