# NTSB MIA93LA105: Siegel Glasair III, N540PS, Zephyrhills, FL, April 19, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 19, 1993, 16:57 local (20:57 UTC)
- Place: Zephyrhills, FL
- Location: 28.2407° N, 82.1790° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Zephyrhills, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2407&lon=-82.1790&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report July 22, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 33257
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA93LA105
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/33257/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA93LA105

## Probable cause

CONTAMINATION (FIBERGLASS DUST) IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND/OR A PIECE OF PLASTIC (FOREIGN) MATERIAL IN THE FUEL INJECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN RESTRICTED FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb
  - fuel system - contamination
  - fuel system,injector - foreign object
  - fluid,fuel - flow restricted (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency

## Analysis

THE PRIVATE PILOT CONDUCTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BECAUSE OF A ROUGH-RUNNING ENGINE. AFTER LANDING, THE GASCOLATOR AND FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES WERE REMOVED, CLEANED, AND REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. THE FUEL SUMPS WERE DRAINED, AND AN ENGINE RUN-UP WAS CONDUCTED. ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA REVEALED FIBERGLASS DUST IN THE MAIN FUEL HEADER TANK, TANK SCREEN, MAIN FUEL FILTER, AND UNDER THE DIAPHRAGM IN THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER. THE ENGINE FUEL INJECTOR (BENDIX MODEL RSA10ED1) WAS PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED. A PIECE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE VENTURI PRESSURE CHAMBER SIDE OF THE AIR DIAPHRAGM OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO BLOCK THE PASSAGEWAY TO THE VENTURI. TESTS SHOWED THAT BLOCKAGE OF THE PASSAGEWAY WOULD RESULT IN RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N540PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N540PS-1995-07-13), registration cancelled 1995-07-13, S/N 10001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SIEGEL GLASAIR III (GLASAIR II)
- Registry model: [Siegel Paul E GLASAIR III](https://openairdocs.org/model/siegel-paul-e-glasair-iii) (registry code 05655ZW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 10001
- Airframe hours: 45
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1H5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Siegel, Jr., Paul F.
- Registered owner: Siegel, Jr., Paul F.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, October 23, 1992, 45 hours before
- Departed: ZPH
- Destination: LUK, CINCINNATI, OH
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,732 total, 50 in this make and model, 1,732 as pilot in command, 46 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 7 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TPA, 10 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 19930419009659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930419009659A), Apr 19, 1993: Amtr GLASAIR, Zephyrhills, FL, Destroyed. Lost power on climbout. Struck trees. Had prior engine roughness. Cleaned nozzles and filter. Still contaminated.

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.

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