WOODVILLE, TX, USA
N345DH
HARRIS DRAGONFLY
A MAINTENANCE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED TO CHECK THE ENGINE, CARBURETOR, AND A NEW HEADER TANK FUEL SIGHT GAUGE. THE FUEL FLOAT INDICATED THE HEADER TANK WAS FULL; THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP WAS TURNED OFF TO CHECK THE MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL FLOAT. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE SIGHT GAGE REVEALED THAT THE FLOAT WAS JAMMED IN THE FULL POSITION.
On September 18, 1994, at 1130 central daylight time, a Harris Dragonfly homebuilt, N345DH, was destroyed during a forced landing near Woodville, Texas. The private pilot/owner/operator sustained serious injuries. The local personal flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions. The following information was obtained from the pilot/operator report. The pilot was on a maintenance flight to check the engine, carburetor, and a new header tank fuel sight gauge. The fuel float in the sight gage indicated the header tank was full; the pilot then shut off the fuel transfer pump to watch for float movement. The engine stopped; the transfer pump was turned back on, but the engine would not restart. Altitude was insufficient to reach clear ground so a landing was made in a wooded area. The airplane came to rest approximately 60 feet above the ground in a tree. Examination of the fuel system by the pilot revealed that the fuel float in the header tank fuel sight gage was jammed in the full position.
WAS FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE JAMMED FLOAT IN THE FUEL SIGHT GAGE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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