- Date
- July 20, 1996, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N647AAGraham Falcon XP
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960720018989A
- Case key
- 29516
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
blockage of the fuel system vent in the fuel cap, when the pilot overtorqued the fuel cap during his preflight check, which restricted fuel flow to the engine. The pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of airplane was a related factor.
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
After takeoff, the pilot remained in the traffic pattern and initiated a go-around after the first landing. During the initial climb, the engine decelerated to idle, then lost all power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport, but was unable. The airplane was damaged during a forced landing in an orange grove. During an examination after the accident, no mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the engine or any of the engine components. The airplane's fuel system tank vent in the fuel cap was found closed. The design of the cap consisted of a rubber stopper that was squeezed by a threaded wing bolt. A small hole in the stopper served as a vent. When squeezing pressure was applied to the rubber stopper by turning the wing nut, the wall would expand, decreasing the size of the fuel system vent. Excessive tightening of the wing nut would squeeze the vent closed. The pilot had only about 4 hours of flight time in this make/model of airplane.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1996, at 0920 hours mountain standard time, an experimental Graham Falcon XP, N647AA, collided with terrain after an in-flight loss of control after takeoff from Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated private pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot/owner as a personal flight. The local flight originated from Falcon Field at 0915. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot remained in the traffic pattern after takeoff and initiated a go-around during the first landing. During the climb, the engine lost power and decelerated to idle. The pilot reported to the Falcon Field air traffic control tower he was having engine problems and asked to return to the airport. As the pilot turned the airplane to return to the airport, the engine lost all power. The airplane subsequently landed in an orange grove about .5 miles northwest of the airport.
The engine was examined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the assistance of a mechanic familiar with Rotax engines. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction found with the engine or any of the engine components.
Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed the tank vent in the fuel cap was closed. According to the mechanic, the design of the cap consisted of a rubber stopper that was squeezed by a threaded wing bolt. A small hole in the stopper served as a vent. When the squeezing pressure was applied to the rubber stopper by turning the wing nut, the wall would expand decreasing the diameter of the vent hole. He indicated that excessive tightening of the wing nut would also squeeze the vent closed.
According to the FAA, the pilot should have determined the airplane's fuel quantity and secured the fuel cap during his preflight check.
The pilot indicated in his accident report his total flight experience was 82 hours, of which 4 were in the Graham Falcon XP.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N647AA
- Reported as
- Graham Falcon XP
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 600137
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 55 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lawrence M. Mcdermott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 26, 1996 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- FFZ
- Airport
- FFZ · Falcon Field
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 82 total · 4 in this make and model · 82 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FFZ, 1 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.