# NTSB CEN14LA241: Kinsler Arthur Paul Kinsler Lancair/Mkii, N246AK, Crivitz, WI, May 6, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 6, 2014, 11:18 local (16:18 UTC) - Place: Crivitz, WI - Coordinates: 45.214443, -88.07389 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2144&lon=-88.0739&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 25, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - Milwaukee FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89213 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA241 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89213/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89213 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA241 ## Probable cause The improper installation of the hose fuel fitting, which resulted in the fitting becoming disconnected and the subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect service/maintenance (probable cause); cases with it: [Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md?model=05606M8), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md) - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Other (probable cause); cases with it: [Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=05606M8), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05606M8), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05606M8), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, about 10 to 15 minutes after takeoff in the single-engine airplane, he smelled fuel in the cockpit, and the airplane's fuel pressure gauge read 0. He activated the electric fuel boost pump, but the fuel pressure reading remained 0. At this point, the engine lost power, and the pilot subsequently executed a wheels-up forced landing to a field. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the inlet hose to the mechanical fuel pump was not connected; the hose fitting and the fuel pump's mating fitting were not damaged. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the hose fuel fitting was not properly installed, which allowed the fitting to vibrate loose during operation until it became disconnected and resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Because the hose fitting was found higher than the fuel tanks, fuel would not have leaked from the hose while the airplane was parked. Therefore, the pilot would not have been able to detect the discrepancy during preflight examination of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On May 6, 2014, about 1118 central daylight time, an amateur built Kinsler Lancair MKII airplane, N246AK, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Crivitz, Wisconsin. The pilot sustained serious injuries during the forced landing. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the J. Douglas Bake Memorial Airport, Oconto, Wisconsin, about 20 minutes prior to the accident, and was destined for the Ford Airport (IMT), near Iron Mountain Michigan. The pilot reported that about 10-15 minutes into the flight he detected the odor of aviation gasoline inside the cockpit. He said that he looked at his fuel pressure gauge and it read zero so he turned on the electric boost pump. The gauge reading still read zero, so he turned the boost pump off. The airplane's engine was losing power. The pilot used his GPS receiver to a turn toward the Crivitz Municipal Airport (3D1), Crivitz, Wisconsin, but he was not able to visually locate the airport. He saw a large field and performed a forced landing with the landing gear retracted. The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that examined the airplane at the accident scene saw a fitting on the engine driven fuel pump that did not have a hose attached. He was unable to physically access the fitting during the on-scene examination. After the airplane was recovered from the accident site, another examination revealed that the fitting was the inlet fitting of the mechanical fuel pump. The hose that attached to the fitting had come loose and was no longer attached. The hose was present and the fitting on the hose and the mating fitting on the fuel pump showed no physical damage. The fittings appeared to be standard AN fittings. The location of the fitting in question was above the level of the fuel tanks and would have prevented leaking or siphoning of fuel when the airplane was parked. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N246AK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N246AK), registered now, S/N 778, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: KINSLER ARTHUR PAUL KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII](https://openairdocs.org/model/kinsler-arthur-paul-kinsler-lancair-mkii) (registry code 05606M8) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-E3D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e3d) (registry code 42127, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 778 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 790 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-B1E 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 7, 2014, 4 hours before - Departed: OCQ, OCONTO, WI - Destination: IMT, IRON MOUNTAIN, MI - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,839 total, 389 in this make and model, 2,270 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: MNM, 20 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 20140506006839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140506006839A), May 6, 2014: Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII, Crivitz, WI, Substantial damage. 246AK a Lancair was only at cruise for about 8 minutes when commerical pilot [privacy data omitted] started to notice engine running rough, he saw no fuel… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 23, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89213. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429757&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429758&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF 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.