MOORESVILLE, NC, USA
N1619D
CESSNA 170
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE FLEW SEVERAL MINUTES AROUND THE LOCAL AREA AND RETURNED TO LAKE NORMAN AIRPORT FOR A FULL STOP LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CLIMB OUT FOR ANOTHER APPROACH. DURING THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S EFFORTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED; THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE FUEL SYSTEM EXAMINATION REVEALED 'HAIR LIKE' MATERIALS, AND 'SAND LIKE' DEBRIS BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND THE GASCOLATOR WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW. AFTER THE DEBRIS WAS REMOVED, FUEL FLOWED TO THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS LEFT THE FUEL SYSTEM OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED TIME DURING REBUILDING OF THE AIRPLANE.
On June 6, 1993, at 1020 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170, N1619D, collided with trees during a climbout from Lake Norman Airport near Mooresville, North Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the airplane's occupants were not injured. The flight initially departed Mooresville, at 1000 hours. According to the pilot, he flew several minutes around the local area and returned to Lake Norman Airport. While on final approach for a full stop landing, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. At this point, about 100 feet above the ground, the pilot elected to go around. During the attempted climbout, the engine continued to lose power, and attempts by the pilot to restore full engine power failed. The airplane descended into a terrain depression off the departure end of runway 14, and collided with trees. During the fuel system examination, hair like and sandy materials were discovered in the fuel selector assembly between the fuel selector valve and the gascolator. The examination discovered that the fuel flow was restricted to the engine. Removal of the debris from the fuel lines resulted in the unrestricted flow of fuel the the engine. According to the pilot, the airplane was rebuilt before he purchased it, and reportedly, the fuel system was open for an extended period of time before the completion of the rebuild process.
POOR MAINTENANCE PRACTICES DURING THE REBUILDING OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH ALLOWED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BECOME CONTAMINATED AND RESULTED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION OF THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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