ERA24LA040

After a short local flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane, the pilot landed, taxied back, and took off to practice landings. Shortly after takeoff, during the initial climb as he crossed the end of the runway at 300 ft above ground level, the engine suddenly lost power for several seconds, regained partial power, then stopped producing power again. The power continued to fluctuate but remained about 800 rpm below full power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and continued to fly the runway heading to land in a field that was bordered by trees. The airplane continued to descend, and the pilot was unable to clear the treetops. The airplane impacted the trees, then impacted the terrain in a nose-down attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed the carburetor was intact and there was no fuel discovered in the lines between the engine-driven fuel pump and the carburetor. Upon further examination, the engine-driven fuel pump contained a substantial amount of corrosion. Although the pilot stated he had turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, no fuel was found in the fuel lines leading into the carburetor. It is likely that the corrosion in the engine-driven fuel pump led to a sporadic ability to provide adequate fuel to the engine, resulting in a partial loss of power from fuel starvation.

On November 16, 2023, at 1230 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Skyraider II, N90AB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Limington, Maine. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. After a short local flight, the pilot elected to perform some practice landings at Limington-Harmon Airport (63B) Limington, Maine, his home-base airport. After landing, the pilot taxied back to the beginning of runway 29 and attempted another takeoff. During initial climb, as he was passing over the end of the runway and climbing through 300 ft above ground level, the engine suddenly lost power for several seconds, regained partial power, then stopped producing power again; the increases and decreases in power continued to fluctuate, but remained about 800 rpm below full power. According to the pilot, there were at least 8 gallons of fuel on board for the flight and the engine typically consumed about 4 gallons per hour. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and continued to fly the runway heading where he planned a forced landing toward a farm pasture that was straight ahead and bordered with trees. Unable fly over the trees, the airplane impacted the tops of the trees, then descended to impact the terrain in a nose-down attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the wings. The pilot egressed the airplane, walked out of the woods, and called the authorities. A postaccident wreckage examination confirmed engine crankshaft and valvetrain continuity and that there was adequate compression on each of the cylinders. The carburetor was intact. There was no fuel present in the lines between the engine-driven fuel pump and the carburetor; upon further examination, the engine-driven fuel pump contained a substantial amount of corrosion. In addition, fuel was found in the fuel filter upstream of the electric fuel pump but not after. Although the pilot stated he had turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, no fuel was found in the fuel lines leading into the carburetor.