Nashville, NC, USA
N8089K
Jerome Wells KR-2
The pilot stated that he was at cruise altitude, and had been airborne for about an hour when he decided to transfer fuel from the right wing tank. He said about 2 minutes after transferring fuel, the engine started to "cut out", and then it ceased operating. The pilot said he then executed a forced landing to a field, and during the landing the airplane incurred substantial damage. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA licensed mechanic with inspection authorization, revealed that the carburetor drain plug had drops of moisture that did not appear to be fuel. In addition, the examination revealed that the gascolator fuel bowl, mounted on the firewall, was full of water and debris. According the mechanic, the fuel bowl had a drain valve that was clogged.
On April 7, 2001, about 1120 eastern daylight time, a Jerome Wells KR-2, N8089K, registered to, and operated by a private owner, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing to a field in Nashville, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot sustained minor injuries, and one passenger received no injuries. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Petersburg, Virginia, the same day, about 1015. The pilot stated that the aircraft had been sitting for about 40 days, and it had taken about 20 minutes to get it started. The pilot further stated that once he had gotten it started, he ran it for about 7 minutes, and he and his nephew then embarked, and he started it, and taxied for takeoff. He said he was number three for takeoff, and while waiting he idled the engine for about 10 minutes, performed the engine runup, executed the takeoff, and climbed to altitude. Once at cruise altitude, he said he proceeded to the south, and had been airborne for about an hour when he decided to transfer fuel from the right wing tank. According to the pilot, about 2 minutes after transferring fuel, the engine started to "cut out", and then it ceased operating. He said he then executed a forced landing to an open field, and during the landing, the airplane incurred substantial damage. The pilot also said that he assumed that maybe he had not effectively drained all the water out of the right wing tank, and when he "fed" from the right wing, there was enough contamination to cause the engine to "flame out." Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA licensed mechanic with inspection authorization revealed that the carburetor drain plug had drops of moisture that did not appear to be fuel. In addition, the examination revealed that the gascolator fuel bowl, mounted on the firewall, was full of water and debris. According the mechanic, the fuel bowl had a drain valve, but it was clogged.
the pilot's improper preflight inspection, which resulted in his operating an aircraft with contaminated fuel that resulted in a loss of engine power and and a forced landing to a field and damage to the aircraft during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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