- Date
- March 27, 1995, 10:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Salina, KS
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3223PBaker Long EZE
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950327005749A
- Case key
- 9860
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the engine driven fuel pump. Factors associated with the accident were fuel starvation, insufficient altitude and soft terrain.
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
The pilot reported he filled both fuel tanks prior to departure. He was cruising at 800 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. He switched fuel tanks and turned the electric fuel boost pump on. The engine stopped windmilling. He lowered the nose gear and attempted to restart the engine with the starter to no avail. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a gravel road but had insufficient altitude. He landed short of the road in a soft field. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. Inspection of the wreckage revealed the diaphragm in the engine driven fuel pump was cracked. No other evidence of a pre-existing malfunction was found.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1995, at 1040 central standard time, an experimental Baker Long Eze, N3223P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Salina, Kansas. The private pilot and one passenger reported minor injuries. The personal flight originated at 0745 in Hampton, Iowa, with a planned destination of Dalhart, Texas. A VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 flight.
The pilot reported he filled both fuel tanks prior to departure. He was cruising at 800 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. He switched fuel tanks and turned the electric fuel boost pump on. The engine stopped windmilling. He lowered the nose gear and attempted to restart the engine with the starter to no avail.
The pilot initiated a forced landing to a gravel road but had insufficient altitude. He landed short of the road in a soft plowed field. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over.
An aircraft inspector, who examined the wreckage, reported the diaphragm in the engine driven fuel pump was cracked. He reported no other evidence of preaccident malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3223P
- Reported as
- Baker Long EZE
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1181
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Curtis L. Baker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 10, 1995 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- HPT · Hampton, IA
- Destination
- DHT · Dalhart, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.