- Date
- August 25, 1996, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hamilton Twp, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8405FLake LA-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960825024049A
- Case key
- 39234
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
A complete loss of engine power due to inadequate maintenance that contributed to a loose fuel line fitting, a fuel leak and subsequent fuel starvation. The uneven terrain was a 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
The airplane was at 2,000 feet when a complete loss of engine power occurred. The pilot attempted to restart the engine without success, and performed a forced landing to a farm road where the landing gear collapsed. About 30 gallons of fuel remained in the airplane's fuel tanks. Examination of the wreckage revealed that there was no external damage to the engine. When the battery was activated, and the electric fuel pump was turned on, fuel leaked from the main fuel line connection at the fuel injection manifold. Examination of the fuel line revealed that the fuel line nut was loose. When the nut was turned by finger pressure, it turned two flats (about 1/3 turn) before any resistance was noted. After the fuel line nut was tightened, an engine start and run-up was successfully completed. During the last annual inspection, in March 1996, two engine cylinders were replaced. Also, the fuel injectors were cleaned, and a fuel injector line Airworthiness Directive was complied with. The airplane had been flown about 37 hours since the annual inspection.
Factual narrative
On August 25, 1996, at 1800 eastern daylight time, a Lake LA-250, N8405F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hamilton Township, New Jersey. The certificated airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at Montgomery, New York, about 1720. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the pilot's statement, he said that the airplane was at approximately 2,000 feet when a complete loss of engine power occurred. He further stated that he attempted to restart the engine without success. He then performed a forced landing to a farm road where the landing gear collapsed. About 30 gallons of fuel remained in the airplane's fuel tanks.
Examination of the airplane by the NTSB Investigator revealed that there was no external damage to the engine. When the battery was activated, and the electric fuel pump was turned on, fuel leaked from the main fuel line connection at the fuel injection manifold. Examination of the fuel line revealed that the line nut was loose. When the nut was turned by finger pressure, it turned two flats (about 1/3 turn) before any resistance was noted. After the line nut was tightened, an engine start and run-up was successfully completed.
A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that during the last annual inspection, in March 1996, two engine cylinders were replaced. Also, the fuel injectors were cleaned, and a fuel injector line Airworthiness Directive was complied with. The airplane had been flown about 37 hours since the annual inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8405F
- Reported as
- Lake LA-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56
- Airframe hours
- 971
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Manhattan Management Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 1996 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- MGJ · Montgomery, NY
- Destination
- 7MY · Mount Holly, NJ
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificates
- Private, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,940 total · 155 in this make and model · 2,900 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.