- Date
- September 4, 2005, 17:54 local (21:54 UTC)
- Place
- New Cumberland, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N220EZHanson VariEze
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050904023469A
- Case key
- 62394
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The owner/builder's inadequate fuel tank inspection during construction, which resulted in fuel contamination and subsequent fuel starvation to the engine.
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 airplane had been airborne for about 5 minutes when the engine lost power. The pilot then force landed in a field, and the airplane nosed over. During a post-accident examination, the propeller was replaced, and the engine was started and operated for about 5 minutes at 1,700 rpm. The fuel system was also examined, and the fuel screens in both fuel tanks were found to be covered in a "fine muddy silt," consistent with mud dauber activity. A subsequent fuel analysis revealed that particulate contamination and gum levels were "very high." The fuel tanks had been open during the airplane's construction, and the airplane had about 30 hours of operation at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On September 4, 2005, at 1754 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt VariEze, N220EZ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight, which originated at Capital City Airport (CXY), New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane had been airborne about 5 minutes when the engine lost power. The pilot then force landed in a field, and the airplane nosed over.
During a post-accident examination of the airplane, the propeller was replaced, and the engine was started and operated for about 5 minutes at 1,700 rpm. The fuel system was also examined, and the fuel screens in both fuel tanks were found to be covered in a "fine muddy silt."
A subsequent fuel analysis revealed that "particulate contamination and gum levels [were] very high."
The fuel tanks had been open during the airplane's construction, and the airplane had about 30 hours of operation at the time of the accident.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate. On his latest application for an FAA third class medical certificate, dated May 1, 2003, he reported 70 hours of flight time.
Despite multiple requests and a verbal assurance that he would do so, the pilot did not return a NTSB Form 6120.1, as required per 49 CFR 831, which may have provided additional information regarding this event.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N220EZ
- Reported as
- Hanson VariEze
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 32050
- Airframe hours
- 30
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David Hanson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 1, 2005 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- CXY · New Cumberland, PA
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 70 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- CXY, 3 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.