EUREKA, AK, USA
N7029K
PIPER PA-20
THE PILOT WAS USING AUTOMOTIVE FUEL IN HIS AIRPLANE & HAD MADE NUMEROUS TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS IN RAPID SUCCESSION. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 50 DEGREES, THE SKY WAS CLEAR & THE AIRSTRIP ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 4000 FT. JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENGINE COUGHED ONCE, THEN STOPPED COMPLETELY AS IF SOMEONE HAD TURNED IT OFF. SUBSQUENTLY THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING A LANDING ON UNEVEN TUNDRA. NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITTIES WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRPLANE. THE CARBURETOR COMPOSITE FLOAT WAS WEIGHTED & FOUND TO BE WITHIN SPECIFIED LIMITS, BUT WHEN SECTIONED, IT GAVE OFF A SLIGHT HYDROCARBONODOR. VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE AUTO FUEL WAS RPRTD TO BE 15 PSI AS COMPARED TO 5 PSI FOR 100 OCTANE AVIATION FUEL (AUTO FUEL MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO VAPOR LOCK).
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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