ATL03LA084

According to the pilot, the engine lost power and the airplane was not able to maintain altitude. When efforts by the pilot to maintain altitude failed, the pilot selected an emergency landing area. The airplane was damaged during a forced landing in a wooded area two miles short of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel line fitting was loose. The fuel line was observed to be loose but still attached. No fuel was present in the right fuel tank, and fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank. No fuel was found in the gascolator. However, fuel was found leaking from the engine compartment after the accident.

On April 27, 2003, at 1210 eastern daylight time, a Beech A23, N1483L, registered to and operated by a private pilot, collided with the ground during an emergency landing in a wooded area two miles south west of Glynco Jetport in Brunswick, Georgia. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Eagle Neck Airport in Brunswick, Georgia, at 1130 on April 27, 2003.

According to the pilot, while flying at 1000 feet and approximately 7 miles southwest of Glynco Jetport, the engine lost power, and the airplane was not able to maintain altitude. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks and turned on the fuel boost pump but the engine RPM remained at idle. When efforts by the pilot to maintain altitude failed, the pilot selected an emergency landing area. The airplane was damaged during an emergency landing in a wooded area two miles short of runway 7.

Examination of the wreckage site revealed that the wreckage debris of the downed airplane was scattered in the immeadiate vicinity of the wreckage. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing was separated from the airframe at the attachment points. The left wing had leading edge damage. The engine mounts were broken. The starter was separated from the engine. The right wing had leading edge damage. The propeller was bent aft and no leading edge damage was observed. Fuel was found leaking from the engine compartment.

The mixture was found in the full rich position and the throttle was in the idle position. The fuel selector was in the left tank position. Both wing fuel tanks were not breached and showed no signs of leaking. No fuel was present in the right fuel tank, and 8 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank. No fuel was found in the gascolator. No fuel was found in the fuel pressure line going to the pressure gage.

No fuel was observed at the fuel manifold. The fitting at the fuel distributor comming from the fuel control unit was loose.The fuel supply line to the manifold was loose but still attached. According to the Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics General Handbook "Screws, nuts, and bolts that hold units together should be evenly tightened or torqued to prevent leakage past the gasket or seal.

A review of the airplane logbooks revealed that a 100-hour inspection was performed on the engine July 8, 2002. During the 100-hour inspection the fuel metering system was removed and replaced with the fuel metering system from Continental IO-346, Serial number 1003485-A. At the time of the 100-hour inspection the airplane's total time in service was 1979.0. At the time of the accident the total time of the airplane was 1986.7.