# NTSB WPR23LA272: Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R Glasair III, N196G, Pahrump, NV, July 17, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 17, 2023, 07:55 local (14:55 UTC) - Place: Pahrump, NV - Coordinates: 36.27045, -115.9945 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2704&lon=-115.9945&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 192640 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA272 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192640/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192640 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA272 ## Probable cause A fuel leak due to damaged threads on a fuel line fitting, which resulted in an interruption of fuel flow and a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022820/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Engine fuel and control: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md) - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel; cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05602AA), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot detected the odor of fuel in the cockpit shortly after taking off. He turned the fuel boost pump off to alleviate the fuel smell. The fuel smell remained, and the engine surged and lost power. The pilot turned the fuel pump back on and switched fuel tanks to restart the engine. The engine did not restart so he performed a forced landing to a highway. The airplane hit a sign and the landing gear collapsed during the landing, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. During postaccident examination of the airplane a fuel leak was found in a fitting where the fuel line passes through the firewall to the engine. The connection at the fitting was tight, but abrasion damage was found to the fitting threads when the fuel line was disconnected. Maintenance was performed on fuel-related engine components about three months before the accident, but it was not determined if the fuel line to the damaged fitting was manipulated at that time. The accident is consistent with the engine losing total power due to fuel starvation resulting from a fuel leak that interrupted fuel flow to the engine. The leak resulted from the damaged threads on the fuel line fitting; the damage to the fittings likely occurred at an undetermined time during prior maintenance. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 2023, about 0755 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Glasair III, N196G, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Pahrump, Nevada. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported the preflight was normal and the airplane had 42 gallons of fuel onboard before takeoff. Shortly after taking off from runway 15 at Calvada Meadows Airport (74P), Pahrump, Nevada, the pilot detected a strong odor of fuel in the cockpit. He subsequently turned the fuel boost pump off to alleviate the fuel smell. The fuel smell remained, and the engine surged and then lost power. The pilot turned the fuel pump back on and switched fuel tanks to restart the engine. The engine did not restart so he performed a forced landing to a highway. The airplane hit a sign and the landing gear collapsed during the landing, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot reported that he thought the loss of engine power resulted from a fuel leak. A postaccident examination was conducted on the airplane. The auxiliary fuel tank was filled with water, the firewall fuel line was disconnected from the fuel/air control unit, and the line was capped. The fuel boost pump was activated and the pump was heard operating. Liquid was observed dripping from the fuel line at the firewall fitting on the engine side of the firewall. The connections to the fitting were secure. The fuel lines were disconnected from the fitting and abrasion damage was noted to the threads on the engine side of the fitting (Figure 1). Abrasion damage was not evident on the cockpit side threads of the fitting. Figure 1 – Fuel Line Fitting A review of the airframe and engine maintenance logbooks for the year before the accident showed that on April 18, 2023, the engine-driven fuel pump, fuel servo, and “fuel servo attach gasket” were replaced. Additional, non-fuel system engine maintenance was also performed on that date. It was not determined if the fuel line to the thread-damaged firewall fuel fitting was disconnected or reconnected when that work was performed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N196G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N196G-2023-11-07), registration cancelled 2023-11-07, S/N 3196, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MELLINGER B L III/BRIEBLEB R GLASAIR III - Registry model: [Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III](https://openairdocs.org/model/mellinger-b-l-iii-briebleb-r-glasair-iii) (registry code 05602AA) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3196 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 871 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 20, 2022, 26 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 74P, Calvada Meadows - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 20, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,806 total, 23 in this make and model, 2,681 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 27.60 inHg - Observed at: 7:53 - METAR: 7:53 AM 95 °F 51 °F 22 % CALM 0 mph 0 mph 27.60 in 0.0 in Fair ## 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 20230717010069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230717010069A), Jul 17, 2023: Mellinger B L III/Briebleb R GLASAIR III, Pahrump, NV, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed calvada meadows airport (74P) heading north, at about 800FT AGL, pilot stated that the engine started surging, pilot turned the boost pump on… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192640. 83.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17220254&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_WPR23LA272_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Mor FAA examination observations (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17220532&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Examination%20Observations-Rel.pdf - Fuel fitting examination report (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 362 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17223637&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Fuel%20Fitting%20Examination-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 79.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17417702&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20Logbook%20Entries_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17223072&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20WPR23LA272-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.