TITUSVILLE, FL, USA
N360R
RUDOLPH ZELLER LANCAIR
FLT EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING. PROPER FUEL QUANTITY WAS PRESENT IN ACFT AND ENGINE AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX ALTERNATE AIR DOOR WAS FOUND BROKEN OFF IN THE AIR BOX AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WAS IN A POSITION TO BLOCK AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR. THE DOOR WAS MADE BY THE ACFT OWNER/BUILDER OUT OF .032 INCH THICK METAL WITH A SHARP 90 DEGREE BEND AT THE POINT OF FAILURE. THE ACFT PLANS CALL FOR .040 INCH METAL. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX HAD NO IMPACT DAMAGE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DOOR TO FAIL AND MARKS IN THE BOX INDICATED THE DOOR HAD MOVED AROUND IN THE BOX FOR SOMETIME.
THE USE OF IMPROPER MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/BUILDER RESULTING IN FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE DOOR WHICH RESULTED IN BLOCKAGE OF AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR AND LOSS OF ALL ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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