20220611010329A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Whittridge Richard D TWINSTARR · Indian Trail, NC · June 11, 2022

Date: June 11, 2022 · 15:40 local
Place: Indian Trail, NC
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N298RW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA22LA313
Reported as: Whittridge Richard D Twinstarr
Reported engine: Lycoming O-320
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1

N298RWRegistered now · Whittridge Richard D TWINSTARRS/N TS97015 · Built 2006 Airframe modelWhittridge Richard D TWINSTARR Engine modelLycoming O-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Gyro plane was just purchased and pilot decided to test fly. According to the pilots statements, after lift off the aircraft lost power and crashed into powerlines and woods. After inspection, it was determind that the aircafts fuel sending unit had rtv sealer coming out of place and contaminating the fuel. The loose sealant blocked the fuel line and fuel starvation caused the engine to stop running. Loss of power caused the aircaft not to sustain flight and pilot loss control of aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

GYRO PLANE WAS JUST PURCHASED AND PILOT DECIDED TO TEST FLY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOTS STATEMENTS, AFTER LIFT OFF THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED INTO POWERLINES AND WOODS. AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMIND THAT THE AIRCAFTS FUEL SENDING UNIT HAD RTV SEALER COMING OUT OF PLACE AND CONTAMINATING THE FUEL. THE LOOSE SEALANT BLOCKED THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL STARVATION CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. LOSS OF POWER CAUSED THE AIRCAFT NOT TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT AND PILOT LOSS CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA22LA313Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportIndian Trail, NCA blockage of the fuel filter inlet by a piece of debris, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.Jun 11, 2022 · Substantial damage