Passadumkeag, ME, USA
N714EJ
Cessna 150M
The airplane was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet when the engine lost power. As the pilot attempted to diagnose the problem, he noted that the fuel quantity indicator for the right tank showed one-quarter full, and the left tank indicator showed three-quarters full. The engine would not restart, but when the primer was pumped, the engine produced short bursts of power. The pilot used the short bursts of power to help the airplane reach the field selected as a forced landing area. The airplane touched down, then overran the field and struck trees. Examination of the maintenance records revealed a discrepancy logged 3 days before the accident that cited unbalanced fuel flow from the fuel tanks. Tests of the fuel lines with compressed air showed a free flow of air on the right side, and an initial blockage on the left, which was cleared by the compressed air. The source of the blockage was not recovered. The engine was placed in a test cell where it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption.
On April 10, 2006, at 1727 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N714EJ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Passadumkeag, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local observation flight that departed Old Town Municipal Airport (OLD), Old Town, Maine, about 1500. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot provided a written statement, and was interviewed by telephone. He said that the airplane was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet when the engine lost power. As the pilot attempted to diagnose the problem, he noted that the fuel quantity indicator for the right tank showed one-quarter full, and the left tank indicator showed three-quarters full. The engine would not restart, but when the primer was pumped, the engine produced short bursts of power. The pilot used the short bursts of power to help the airplane reach the field he had selected as a forced landing area. Just prior to landing, the pilot secured the ignition and the fuel selector. The airplane touched down, then overran the field and struck trees. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine. He was issued a second-class medical certificate in December 2005. The pilot reported 26,000 total hours of flight experience, 14,000 hours of which were in make and model. The airplane was manufactured in 1976, and had accrued 5,161 total aircraft hours. Its most recent annual inspection was completed January 30, 2006, at 5,147 aircraft hours. The airplane was examined at the site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. After a cursory examination, the airplane was moved to the operator's hangar at Old Town Airport. An examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane's engine had accrued 6,749 total hours of flight time, and 727 total hours since major overhaul. A discrepancy dated April 7, 2006, stated: "[Fuel] tanks not feeding equally." The corrective action noted was "Tested vent system [in accordance with] Cessna manual..." Examination of the fuel tanks revealed that the right wing tank was "empty" and the left wing tank was "full." Compressed air was used to check the fuel lines through the fuel selector. The right side of the fuel selector and the fuel line flowed freely. The left side was found occluded, and after a few seconds, an audible "pop" was heard from the line. The air then flowed freely through the left fuel line. The source of the blockage was not recovered. The engine was removed, and transported to Teledyne Mattituck Aviation Services, Mattituck, New York. On August 16, 2006, the engine was placed in a test cell where it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption at various power settings. At 1758, the weather reported at Millinocket Municipal Airport, about 30 miles north, included few clouds at 7,500 feet with a broken cloud layer at 9,500 feet. Visibility was 10 miles, and winds were 290 degrees at 7 knots. The temperature was 53 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dew point was 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
The partially blocked fuel line, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power. Factors in the accident included inadequate maintenance, and the unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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