- Date
- June 15, 1986, 20:06 local (Jun 16, 1986, 00:06 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N73BJPitts S-15
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860615029419A
- Case key
- 7133
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During normal cruise VFR flight at 1,500 ft AGL, the pilot reported hearing an erratic hissing sound and the acft began losing fuel pressure. The aircraft lost power and a forced landing was made into a field. The right main landing gear dropped into a hole and the aircraft nosed over. Inspection of the wreckage confirmed that an improper fitting had been installed in the pressurized fuel system. A tee fitting had been installed in place of an elbow fitting and the end cap had loosened allowing the loss of fuel pressure and subsequent loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73BJ
- Reported as
- Pitts S-15
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- BJ-2
- Airframe hours
- 100
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bruce C. Jordan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 23, 1985
- Departed
- NC81 · Apex, NC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 944 total · 104 in this make and model · 756 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.