# NTSB ATL00LA033: Aero Comp COMP-AIR-6, N61520, Indiantown, FL, March 5, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 5, 2000, 14:44 local (19:44 UTC) - Place: Indiantown, FL - Coordinates: 27.029018, -80.459388 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.0290&lon=-80.4594&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48745 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL00LA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48745/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA033 ## Probable cause The maintenance personnel inadequate inspection of the fuel system that resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel filter contamination. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fluid,fuel grade - starvation (cause) - fuel system,filter - contamination (cause) - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The day before the flight the pilot had topped-off the fuel tanks with aviation fuel and he had flown the airplane about 25 minutes after the refueling. After the 25-minute flight, the pilot parked the airplane, and it was not flown again until the next day. Before the flight, the pilot received a weather briefing, filed a flight plan, and completed a preflight inspection. The fuel sample taken during the preflight inspection was free of visible contaminates. About one hour and 44 minutes into the flight, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot selected a nearby orange grove for a forced landing and established an approach to a road in the orange grove. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane for the touchdown, the tail section of the airplane collided with a tree, the airplane turned several degrees, collided with the ground, and slid into an embankment. During the examination of the airplane, rust and other debris were recovered from the fuel system filter assembly. The composition of the debris was not determined, however the debris reduced the normal flow of fuel through the fuel system. The airplane had undergone routine maintenance and preflight inspections. ## Factual narrative On March 5, 2000, at 1444 eastern standard time, an Aero Comp Incorporated Comp-Air-6, N61520, collided with a tree during an attempted forced landing near Indiantown, Florida. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed Homestead, Florida, at 1300. During a telephone conversation with the pilot, he stated that, on March 4, 2000, he had topped-off the fuel tanks with aviation fuel and he had flown the airplane about 25 minutes after the refueling. After the 25-minute flight, the pilot parked the airplane, and it was not flown again until March 5, 2000. On March 5, 2000, the pilot received a weather briefing and filed a flight plan for the intended flight. The pilot completed a preflight inspection of the airplane that included sampling the fuel supply through the fuel filter. According to the pilot, the fuel sample was free of visible contaminates. At approximately 1300, the pilot departed Homestead, Florida, enroute to Merritt Island, Florida. About one hour and 44 minutes into the flight, and flying a 4500 feet, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that a distress radio call was made and he searched for an area for a forced landing. The pilot selected a nearby orange grove and established an approach to a road in the orange grove. As he maneuvered the airplane for the touchdown, the tail section of the airplane collided with a tree, the airplane turned around several degrees, collided with the ground, and slid into an embankment. During the post accident examination of the airplane, rust and other debris were recovered from the fuel system filter assembly. The composition of the debris was not determined, however the debris reduced the normal flow of fuel through the fuel system. There were several gallons of fuel onboard the airplane after the accident. A review of the airplane maintenance log books showed that the airplane had undergone routine maintenance and preflight inspections. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61520](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61520), registered now, S/N 96105, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aero Comp Inc COMP-AIR-6 - Registry model: [Aero Comp COMP AIR 6](https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-comp-comp-air-6) (registry code 05602RG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 96105 - Airframe hours: 390 - Engines: Franklin 6A-360-C 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Alexander S. Jones - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 15, 2000, 15 hours before - Departed: HST, HOMESTEAD, FL - Destination: COI, MERRITT ISLAND, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,500 total, 40 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: VRB, 15 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000305012989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000305012989A), Mar 5, 2000: Indiantown, FL, No damage. (-23) Aircraft crashed at orange grove near Indiantown, Florida. Pilot reported in-flight engine failure at 4500 feet. Crash occurred during forced landing… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.