# NTSB BFO95LA052: Curtiss-Wright P-40E, N940AK, Phelps, NY, May 11, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 11, 1995, 19:40 local (23:40 UTC) - Place: Phelps, NY - Coordinates: 42.950729, -77.060523 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9507&lon=-77.0605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 8, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9045 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9045/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA052 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor related to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - Main gear collapsed, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, ENGINE RUN-UP, TAKEOFF AND CLIMBOUT WERE NORMAL. ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, AT 1,600 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO 'BACKFIRE VIOLENTLY TWICE,' THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO GLIDE TO A MORE SUITABLE LANDING AREA; THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED CORNFIELD. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR NOR IN THE FUEL LINE TO THE ENGINE. THE FUEL LINES WERE COMPROMISED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND ELECTRIC DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WERE REMOVED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION AND FUNCTIONED SATISFACTORILY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN IN STORAGE ALL WINTER, AND HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. ## Factual narrative On May 11, 1995, at 1940 eastern daylight time, N940AK, a Curtiss Wright Kittyhawk P-40E experimental airplane, lost engine power during cruise flight and crashed in a freshly plowed corn field in Phelps, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The flight originated in Fulton, New York, about 1930, with an intended destination was Geneseo, New York. According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the pilot stated that the aircraft was in storage all winter, and had just received an annual inspection. The pilot stated that the preflight inspection, engine run up, takeoff and climb out were all normal. He stated that the airplane was in cruise flight at 1600 feet MSL about 10 minutes into the flight when the engine "...backfire violently twice...[then] the engine stopped dead." The pilot stated that he completed the emergency checklist, but all attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot reported that he "...did not have the opportunity of gliding to a more suitable landing area." A forced landing was made in a freshly plowed corn field, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane was examined at the accident site by the FAA Inspector. The examination included checking the fuel lines, carburetor, gascolator, the engine and electric driven fuel pumps. The fuel lines separated during the impact sequence. The examination also revealed that there was no fuel in the carburetor nor the fuel lines leading from the electric fuel pump to the engine driven fuel pump . The engine driven fuel pump, and the electric driven fuel pump were removed and bench checked at a test facility. Both pumps operated satisfactory when tested. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N940AK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N940AK), registered now, S/N 15321, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Curtiss-Wright P-40E - Registry model: [Curtiss-Wright-Kittyhawk P-40E](https://openairdocs.org/model/curtiss-wright-kittyhawk-p-40e) (registry code 2622201) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15321 - Airframe hours: 501 - Engines: ALLISON V1710-111 1150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Rangoon Airways Inc., - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: AAIP, April 19, 1995, 2 hours before - Departed: N00, FULTON, NY - Destination: D52, GENESEO, NY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 3,800 total, 400 in this make and model, 3,800 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,600 ft overcast - Temperature: 64 °F ## 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 19950511010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950511010959A), May 11, 1995: Curtis P40E, Phelps, NY, Substantial damage. Engine backfires and quit. Folded gear landing in plowed area. Long winter storage. But fresh annual. 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.