LUSBY, MD, USA
N177RD
CESSNA 177
DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND LOST PARTIAL POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ABOUT 250 FT BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CARBURETOR WAS DISASSEMBLED, AND ALL COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR EXCEPT THE PRIMARY VENTURI. TWO OF THE THREE LEGS WHICH RETAINS THE VENTURI WERE SEPARATED, THE THIRD WAS COMPLETELY MISSING. VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE TWO SEPARATED LEGS REVEALED A MELTED AND RESOLIDIFIED APPEARANCE. ONE LEG PIECE WAS REMOVED FROM THE THROTTLE BODY, ULTRASONICALLY CLEANED IN ACETONE, AND SUBJECTED TO X-RAY ENERGY DISPERSIVE SPECTROSCOPY (EDS) IN AREAS THAT HAD A FRESH METAL APPEARANCE. THIS ANALYSIS GENERATED SPECTRA WITH LARGE ZINC PEAKS AND A MUCH SMALLER PEAK FOR ALUMINUM.
A FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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