What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Experimental amateur built 5151 mustang emergency landing short of runway 12.
PIC had just completed a fuel tank modification. After ground running aircraft at a high-power setting for approximately 30 minutes a test flight was performed. During this test flight the engine lost power but was still running. The PIC called another aircraft that was on approach to land. The PIC of the other airplane stated he was about 3 minutes out. The accident pilot believed that he had enough power to maintain flight and let the other aircraft land first. After the other aircraft landed the accident pilot was attempting to make the final turn to runway 12 but was unable to maintain altitude an impacted the ground in a soft field 250 feet from the end of the runway bouncing and breaking off the main landing gear. No injuries, substantial damage. The PIC recovered the aircraft and placed in a hangar prior to notifying the FAA.
The PIC stated that he had selected the newly installed fuel tank during runup and flight and that there could be a problem with the fuel tank vent that caused fuel starvation.
During post recovery inspection the following damage was noted:
2 Propeller blades broken with grass in break, 2 propeller blades appear undamaged
Damage to lower cowling firewall and oil cooler
Main landing gear broken off
Hole in left upper wing skin near gear attach point (the PIC stated he cut the hole to inspect for damage)
Broken wing rib and lower spar cap damage at left main gear attach point
Unable to inspect the right wing for damage due to aircraft position
Damage to lower fuselage structure aft of the wings (the PIC stated this damage occurred when he put a strap around the aircraft and lifted it with a forklift during recovery)
Also, the front carburetor was found out of its mounting flange. The clamp securing it was loose enough that carburetor was able to put it back in the flange and remove it without loosening the clamp.
As the FAA filed it
EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT 5151 MUSTANG EMERGENCY LANDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 12.
PIC HAD JUST COMPLETED A FUEL TANK MODIFICATION. AFTER GROUND RUNNING AIRCRAFT AT A HIGH-POWER SETTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES A TEST FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED. DURING THIS TEST FLIGHT THE ENGINE LOST POWER BUT WAS STILL RUNNING. THE PIC CALLED ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THAT WAS ON APPROACH TO LAND. THE PIC OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE STATED HE WAS ABOUT 3 MINUTES OUT. THE ACCIDENT PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND LET THE OTHER AIRCRAFT LAND FIRST. AFTER THE OTHER AIRCRAFT LANDED THE ACCIDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE FINAL TURN TO RUNWAY 12 BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A SOFT FIELD 250 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY BOUNCING AND BREAKING OFF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. NO INJURIES, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PIC RECOVERED THE AIRCRAFT AND PLACED IN A HANGAR PRIOR TO NOTIFYING THE FAA.
THE PIC STATED THAT HE HAD SELECTED THE NEWLY INSTALLED FUEL TANK DURING RUNUP AND FLIGHT AND THAT THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK VENT THAT CAUSED FUEL STARVATION.
DURING POST RECOVERY INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE WAS NOTED:
2 PROPELLER BLADES BROKEN WITH GRASS IN BREAK, 2 PROPELLER BLADES APPEAR UNDAMAGED
DAMAGE TO LOWER COWLING FIREWALL AND OIL COOLER
MAIN LANDING GEAR BROKEN OFF
HOLE IN LEFT UPPER WING SKIN NEAR GEAR ATTACH POINT (THE PIC STATED HE CUT THE HOLE TO INSPECT FOR DAMAGE)
BROKEN WING RIB AND LOWER SPAR CAP DAMAGE AT LEFT MAIN GEAR ATTACH POINT
UNABLE TO INSPECT THE RIGHT WING FOR DAMAGE DUE TO AIRCRAFT POSITION
DAMAGE TO LOWER FUSELAGE STRUCTURE AFT OF THE WINGS (THE PIC STATED THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED WHEN HE PUT A STRAP AROUND THE AIRCRAFT AND LIFTED IT WITH A FORKLIFT DURING RECOVERY)
ALSO, THE FRONT CARBURETOR WAS FOUND OUT OF ITS MOUNTING FLANGE. THE CLAMP SECURING IT WAS LOOSE ENOUGH THAT CARBURETOR WAS ABLE TO PUT IT BACK IN THE FLANGE AND REMOVE IT WITHOUT LOOSENING THE CLAMP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.