CRESCENT, OK, USA
N55EE
BRIGGS GLASAIR III
THE PILOT LANDED AT PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA, AFTER A FLIGHT FROM ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PERFUNCTORY CHECKS, THE ENGINE STARTED. IT RAN ROUGH INITIALLY, THEN SMOOTHED OUT. THE PILOT MADE A SHORT TEST FLIGHT AND DISCOVERED THE ENGINE OPERATED SMOOTHLY AT LOW AND HIGH MANIFOLD PRESSURE SETTINGS, BUT RAN ROUGH AT MID-RANGE MANIFOLD PRESSURE SETTINGS. SUSPECTING A FUEL VAPOR LOCK, THE RESTRICTOR VALVE IN THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA. NEAR CRESCENT, OKLAHOMA, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE WHEEL HIT A SMALL DIP IN THE FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
On April 19, 1995, approximately 1330 central daylight time, a Briggs Glasair III, N55EE, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Crescent, Oklahoma. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The pilot was en route from St, Cloud, Minnesota, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and landed at Ponca City, Oklahoma. After refueling, the engine would not start. The battery was recharged, a spark plug was checked for proper firing, and the fuel flow was confirmed by examining the fuel supply line, distributor, and injector. The engine still would not start. After waiting for 30 minutes, the engine was started but it ran rough. Eventually, it smoothed out and the magnetos checked normal. A short test flight revealed the engine would run smoothly at high and low manifold pressure settings and 2,450 RPM, but would run rough at mid-range manifold pressure settings. After landing, the fuel injector was removed and the restrictor valve was replaced. The engine then operated normally. Mechanics suspected a fuel vapor lock. The pilot took off from Ponca City. Near Crescent, Oklahoma, the engine lost power. Suspecting "vapor locking and fuel starvation", the pilot made a forced landing in a wheat field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel hit a small dip in the field and the airplane nosed over. During a post accident inspection by an FAA inspector, no anomalies were found that could account for the loss of power.
TOTAL NON-MECHANICAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FUEL SYSTEM VAPOR LOCK. A FACTOR WAS THE UNEVEN TERRAIN ON WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS MADE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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