GRAND HAVEN, MI, USA
N3144
J. ROBERTS PITTS SPECIAL
AFTER A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU APRX 100 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG ABRUPTLY LOST POWER. A STRAIGHT AHEAD LANDING WAS NOT FEASIBLE. WHILE THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING TO LAND, THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANK WAS APRX 3/4 FULL WITH A MIXTURE OF ABOUT EQUAL AMOUNTS OF AUTOMOTIVE & AVIATION (100 LL) FUEL. ABOUT 1 OZ OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL, BUT NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LINE LEADING FROM THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR. DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL PREVENTED AN ACCURATE DUPLICATION OF THE FUEL CONTROL TRAVEL LIMITS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PROP CONTROL WAS HARD TO OPERATE, BUT THE PLT SAID THAT IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE EVIDENT. THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL BLOCKAGE, BY VAPOR LOCK, COULD NOT BE DISCOUNTED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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