What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/12/2020 N7639P departed enterprise municipal airport (kedn), Alabama. Prior to departing the area the pilot in command (PIC) completed two practice approaches at kedn. He initially flew under VFR flight rules with the intention of landing at John c Tune airport (jwn), Tennessee. During the flight the PIC requested an IFR flight plan due to encountering weather. Upon approach to jwn the PIC discontinued the IFR flight plan and continued visually. At approximately 9 miles south/southwest of jwn the aircraft experienced engine issues. The PIC states that the engine RPM rolled back/started to decay and was unresponsive after pushing throttle to full power and mixture to full rich. The engine stopped operating, the PIC tried to restart with no success. He stated that he changed to the right tank and tried a second restart with no success. The aircraft lost altitude. The aircrafts left wing struck a tree at the end of an open pasture. The aircraft came to rest in the pasture approximately 8.5 miles from the end of the runway. Pilot suffered minor injuries. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to both wings , fuselage aft of the firewall and forward of the empennage, nose landing broken from the aircraft, and left main landing gear collapsed.
A post accident engine inspection was performed. Engine crankshaft and camshaft continuity to each cylinder was confirmed. Induction and exhaust manifolds found to be secure with no leaks. Intake duct between intake filter and carburetor was found to be free of obstructions. Magnetos produced sparks at all cylinders. Electric fuel pump was found to be operational. However only approximately 4 to 5 teaspoons of fuel was found in the carburetor float bowl. No fuel was noted in the fuel hose connected to the carburetor fuel inlet.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/12/2020 N7639P DEPARTED ENTERPRISE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KEDN), ALABAMA. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE AREA THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) COMPLETED TWO PRACTICE APPROACHES AT KEDN. HE INITIALLY FLEW UNDER VFR FLIGHT RULES WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING AT JOHN C TUNE AIRPORT (JWN), TENNESSEE. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PIC REQUESTED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN DUE TO ENCOUNTERING WEATHER. UPON APPROACH TO JWN THE PIC DISCONTINUED THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND CONTINUED VISUALLY. AT APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES SOUTH/SOUTHWEST OF JWN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE ISSUES. THE PIC STATES THAT THE ENGINE RPM ROLLED BACK/STARTED TO DECAY AND WAS UNRESPONSIVE AFTER PUSHING THROTTLE TO FULL POWER AND MIXTURE TO FULL RICH. THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING, THE PIC TRIED TO RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS. HE STATED THAT HE CHANGED TO THE RIGHT TANK AND TRIED A SECOND RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE AT THE END OF AN OPEN PASTURE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 8.5 MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS , FUSELAGE AFT OF THE FIREWALL AND FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE, NOSE LANDING BROKEN FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT CONTINUITY TO EACH CYLINDER WAS CONFIRMED. INDUCTION AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS FOUND TO BE SECURE WITH NO LEAKS. INTAKE DUCT BETWEEN INTAKE FILTER AND CARBURETOR WAS FOUND TO BE FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS. MAGNETOS PRODUCED SPARKS AT ALL CYLINDERS. ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE OPERATIONAL. HOWEVER ONLY APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 5 TEASPOONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL. NO FUEL WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTED TO THE CARBURETOR FUEL INLET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7639P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.