20260830012039A

IT WAS REPORTED BY THE BYRON AIRPORT AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIRE FIGHTING (ARFF) TEAM THAT ON AUGUST 30, 2026, AT BYRON AIRPORT (C83) IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH 1 POB, WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE AIRCRAFT INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 9:23AM PST WITH VFR FLIGHT WITH FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS, TEMPERATURE AT 69.8F, AND WIND SOUTHWEST AT 17.3 MPH. THE PILOT STATED HE TAXIED TO RWY 23 TO CONTINUE TESTS WITH FAST RUNS AND SHORT TAKEOFFS TO VERIFY RECENT AIRFRAME REPAIRS WERE OPERATIONAL AND SATISFACTORY. AFTER 2 CYCLES, HE OBSERVED NO ISSUES. PILOT THEN TURNED ON THE PATTERN, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 300 AGL, EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN RPM/LOSS OF POWER TO ENGINE. PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A 180-DEGREE TURN TO LAND ON RWY 5 AND MANAGED TO LAND IN THE HML AREA. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH WHICH CAUSED THE PLANE TO FLIP OVER. APPROXIMATE SPEED AT IMPACT IN DITCH WAS 30 MPH. AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST IN THE GRASSY AREA BETWEEN TWY A, B, AND C. NO INJURIES NOTED. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING BOTH WING TIPS AND LEADING EDGES, WING SPARS, LFT WING STRUT, NOSE GEAR, PROPELLER, AFT FUSELAGE, AND TAIL RUDDER. ARFF WAS NOTIFIED OF INCIDENT AT 9:40AM, ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 9:43AM, AND CLEARED ACCIDENT SCENE AT 10:52AM. AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED BY NTSB AT 10:06AM. PILOT ADVISED NOT TO PERFORM ANY MAINTENANCE ON AIRCRAFT. AFTER RETURNING PLANE TO THE HANGAR, PILOT CHECKED SYSTEMS AND NOTICED THAT #2 FUEL PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE. ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2026, FAA INSPECTORS ARRIVED ON SCENE TO INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT AND INTERVIEW PILOT FOR STATEMENT. FAA INSPECTORS WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT #1 FUEL PUMP OPERATIVE, BUT #2 FUEL PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE. ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2026, NTSB INVESTIGATOR ARRIVED ON SCENE TO INSPECT AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATOR FOUND A LOOSE WIRE CONNECTION TO FUEL PUMP AT THE TERMINAL END. WIRE CONNECTION WAS FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY CRIMPED CAUSING ELECTRIC FLOW AND FUEL FLOW TO BE DISRUPTED. AFTER REPAIR, #2 FUEL PUMP OPERATIVE AND ENGINE RUN UP NORMAL.