- Date
- June 4, 2007, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Corona, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N45BHBillings/Humbyrd Thorpe T-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Riverside Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20070604009529A
- Case key
- 65920
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 loss of engine power during the initial climb due to a fuel system malfunction. The pilot's incorrect maintenance modification to the fuel system and continued operation with known deficiencies were factors.
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 pilot reported that the day before the accident, the engine experienced a loss of power "from apparent fuel starvation." On the day of the accident, the pilot reported that before the flight he inspected and modified the fuel system. The pilot stated that he "installed fuel hose directly from tank to carb, bypassing gascolator and fuel flow sensor." The pilot then ran the engine at full power for five minutes before takeoff. The pilot successfully took off on runway 25 and at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the aircraft back towards the departure runway. While turning to line up with the grass along side the runway, the aircraft "sank out of the turn, collapsed left gear leg and bent left wing - landing in soft grass." The airplane came to a stop in the grass with it's nose on the ground and tail in the air. The pilot exited the airplane and pulled the tail back down. The pilot reported that he believed the malfunction was a "fuel flow fault." Approximately 12 gallons of automotive fuel was on board at the time. Federal Aviation Administration airmen records indicated that the pilot does not hold airframe or powerplant mechanic certificates.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the day before the accident, the engine experienced a loss of power "from apparent fuel starvation." On the day of the accident, the pilot reported that before the flight he inspected and modified the fuel system. The pilot stated that he "installed fuel hose directly from tank to carb, bypassing gascolator and fuel flow sensor." The pilot then ran the engine at full power for five minutes before takeoff. The pilot successfully took off on runway 25 and at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the aircraft back towards the departure runway. While turning to line up with the grass along side the runway, the aircraft "sank out of the turn, collapsed left gear leg and bent left wing - landing in soft grass." The airplane came to a stop in the grass with it's nose on the ground and tail in the air. The pilot exited the airplane and pulled the tail back down.
The pilot reported that he believed the malfunction was a "fuel flow fault." Approximately 12 gallons of automotive fuel was on board at the time.
Federal Aviation Administration airmen records indicated that the pilot does not hold airframe or powerplant mechanic certificates.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45BH
- Reported as
- Billings/Humbyrd Thorpe T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- T515
- Airframe hours
- 763
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 E3D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Benjamin H. Savage
- Registered owner
- Savage Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2003
- Departed
- L66 · Corona, CA
- Destination
- RIR · Riverside/Rubid, CA
- Airport
- L66 · Corona Muni, runway 25, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 700 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N45BH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.