What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N86612 was in the pattern at La Porte municipal airport when it crashed in a gas line right-of-way near the approach end of runway 30. The aircraft was severely damaged, but remained upright and largely intact, and the pilot was uninjured and was able to exit the aircraft on his own. The aircraft damaged overhead cables, a fence, and several signs and markers.
Prior to the accident, the pilot performed three laps in the pattern and then shut down to add fuel. After adding approximately five gallons of gas to each tank, the pilot performed a normal run up and takeoff, and rejoined the traffic pattern. Just prior to making his turn to base on the first lap, the aircraft lost power. No attempt was made to restart the engine due to the altitude of the aircraft.
The pilot was unable to reach the runway and chose to land just short of the approach end in a gas line right-of-way. As the aircraft passed over the road adjacent to the intended landing area, the landing gear caught the top wire of a fence, and the left wing and tail struck an overhead wire. These impacts arrested the forward movement and caused the aircraft to stop in roughly 40FT.
Inspectors verified that all fuel and engine controls functioned correctly and verified both fuel tanks to be free of water and other obvious contaminants. All igniters were inspected and appeared normal. When the fuel valve was turned to the ?on? Position, fuel was observed leaking from the bottom of the engine. Upon further inspection, it was determined the fuel was coming directly from the carburetor.
The carburetor was removed by investigators and sent to the NTSB for technical evaluation.
The report will be amended if more information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
N86612 WAS IN THE PATTERN AT LA PORTE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WHEN IT CRASHED IN A GAS LINE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 30. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, BUT REMAINED UPRIGHT AND LARGELY INTACT, AND THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS OWN. THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGED OVERHEAD CABLES, A FENCE, AND SEVERAL SIGNS AND MARKERS.
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT PERFORMED THREE LAPS IN THE PATTERN AND THEN SHUT DOWN TO ADD FUEL. AFTER ADDING APPROXIMATELY FIVE GALLONS OF GAS TO EACH TANK, THE PILOT PERFORMED A NORMAL RUN UP AND TAKEOFF, AND REJOINED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. JUST PRIOR TO MAKING HIS TURN TO BASE ON THE FIRST LAP, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RESTART THE ENGINE DUE TO THE ALTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY AND CHOSE TO LAND JUST SHORT OF THE APPROACH END IN A GAS LINE RIGHT-OF-WAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED OVER THE ROAD ADJACENT TO THE INTENDED LANDING AREA, THE LANDING GEAR CAUGHT THE TOP WIRE OF A FENCE, AND THE LEFT WING AND TAIL STRUCK AN OVERHEAD WIRE. THESE IMPACTS ARRESTED THE FORWARD MOVEMENT AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO STOP IN ROUGHLY 40FT.
INSPECTORS VERIFIED THAT ALL FUEL AND ENGINE CONTROLS FUNCTIONED CORRECTLY AND VERIFIED BOTH FUEL TANKS TO BE FREE OF WATER AND OTHER OBVIOUS CONTAMINANTS. ALL IGNITERS WERE INSPECTED AND APPEARED NORMAL. WHEN THE FUEL VALVE WAS TURNED TO THE ?ON? POSITION, FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL WAS COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE CARBURETOR.
THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED BY INVESTIGATORS AND SENT TO THE NTSB FOR TECHNICAL EVALUATION.
THE REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.