Greensboro, NC, USA
N655WP
Swensen Fisher Celebrity
The pilot departed with an adequate supply of fuel in the airplane’s header fuel tank and remained in the airport traffic pattern. He reported that while on the downwind leg the engine “stumbled slightly.” The pilot turned the auxiliary fuel pump on and the airplane sustained a loss of engine power like it was, “starving for fuel.” He verified the fuel shutoff valve was fully open, retarded the throttle, and engaged the electric primer two to three times. The engine restarted, and the pilot continued in the traffic pattern downwind leg. Video recorded onboard the airplane during the flight, ADS-B flight track data, and air traffic control communication information indicated that following the loss/resumption of engine power, the pilot did not alter his previously established course, nor did he alert air traffic control to any difficulty. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, air traffic control asked the pilot to extend his downwind leg in consideration of two other airplanes that were landing. The pilot was then cleared to land, when the airplane was about 1.5 nautical miles from the runway threshold, turning from the downwind toward a base traffic pattern leg. About that time the engine lost power again while the airplane was above a heavily forested residential area. Almost directly ahead of the airplane was a golf course fairway that was relatively free of obstacles. The pilot continued the right turn away from the fairway and toward the runway threshold, over an area densely covered by trees and houses. Although the pilot stated the airplane contacted a tree, which resulted in a right yaw and descent, based on recorded video the pilot likely exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack and the airplane stalled before impacting the tree. The airplane then descended to impact with the terrain and a residence. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed minimal fuel in the engine fuel system components. The header fuel tank contained 3 to 4 gallons of 100 low lead fuel with no water present. A foreign object recovered from the header fuel tank matched the color of material used by the pilot/mechanic to seal the flange of the recently replaced fuel sending unit. Based on this information, it is likely that when the fuel sending unit was replaced, excess sealant applied to the flange compressed out into the tank during installation. Although the header fuel tank outlet was not observed to be blocked by the foreign material inside the tank, the symptom reported by the pilot, like the engine was “starving for fuel,” and the lack of any appreciable amount of fuel in the engine fuel system components were consistent with fuel starvation and subsequent near total loss of engine power. Based on the inflight video, ADS-B track data, and air traffic control communications information, the initial loss of engine power occurred while the airplane was still early in its progression around the airport traffic pattern. While the pilot was able to restart the engine, he did not otherwise deviate from the established traffic pattern path to return to, or at least deviate closer toward, the runway. The pilot also did not advise air traffic control of any need to deviate due to the engine anomaly. Had he taken these actions, it is possible that the accident could have been avoided. Additionally, after the airplane’s engine lost power a second time, had the pilot committed to performing a forced landing to the golf course fairway ahead, instead of attempting to continue the flight over houses and trees toward the runway, it is likely that the severity of the accident could have been mitigated.
On October 6, 2022, about 1621 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Fisher Celebrity airplane, N655WP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Greensboro, North Carolina. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that before his first flight that day he verified that there was 8.5 gallons of fuel in the airplane’s header tank and that no water was present in the fuel system. While taxiing, he noted a brake issue and returned to the hangar. After repairing the issue, he taxied to runway 23R and applied partial and then full power, which was 3,000 rpm. After takeoff, the pilot stayed in the airport traffic pattern, maintaining full power while climbing to the same altitude as an airplane ahead of him. He was instructed by the tower controller to extend the downwind leg due to other landing traffic. Shortly thereafter, the engine “stumbled slightly.” He reported that he turned the auxiliary fuel pump on and the engine lost total power as if it had run out of fuel. He verified the fuel shutoff valve was fully open, retarded the throttle, and engaged the electric primer two to three times. The engine restarted and operated normally for about 20 to 30 seconds but would not sustain power. He also reported it acted like it was, “starving for fuel.” The pilot realized that the airplane could not reach the runway and while he was maneuvering for a forced landing the right wing impacted a tree, and the airplane to yaw to the right. The airplane descended and impacted the side of a house. The pilot evacuated the airplane and there were no reported ground injuries. Review of ADS-B flight track data and air traffic control communications information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the airplane was cleared for takeoff at 1615, and was cleared to turn right into the traffic pattern about 2 minutes later. About 1618:28 the airplane’s ADS-B position was not received for 13 seconds, while the airplane was established on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. About 1619, while the airplane was continuing on the downwind leg, a flight track offset about 0.8 miles northwest and parallel to runway 23R, air traffic control advised the pilot that he was following another airplane (a Cessna 172) in the traffic pattern, who was in turn following a small corporate jet. The accident pilot reported those airplanes were in sight about 8 seconds later. About 1620, while the airplane was about 1.5 nautical miles northwest of the runway 23R threshold, air traffic control cleared the pilot to land. The pilot acknowledged the clearance, and then stated, “uh oh.” About this time, the airplane’s ADS-B position was again not received for about 14 seconds. The air traffic controller subsequently attempted to seek clarification from the pilot, but no further communications from the pilot were made. As part of the airplane recovery, inspection of the airplane’s header fuel tank revealed it contained 3 to 4 gallons of 100 low lead fuel with no water present. A red/orange foreign object was recovered from the tank. The color of the material in the header tank matched the color of the material used to seal the flange of the fuel quantity sending unit to the header tank, but neither were tested. The pilot, who was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic, reported that he recently replaced the sending unit in the header tank. As part of the replacement, he enlarged the opening, vacuumed out the shavings inside the tank, and then flushed it with water before installing the new sending unit, and later added fuel to the tank. Postaccident examination of the engine and its systems revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Minimal fuel was noted in the engine fuel system components, with the largest amount estimated to be 1 ounce drained from the airframe fuel strainer. A Go-Pro camera was mounted to the airplane’s left wing and recorded the entire accident flight. The first engine anomaly and eventual propeller stoppage occurred about 3 minutes into the flight. At this point the airplane was on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern. The engine subsequently restarted, and the airplane continued on the previously established downwind flight path. About 2 minutes later, as the airplane was flying over a residential and tree-covered area, the airplane began a slight right turn. At this point, the ADS-B data showed that the airplane was about 1.5 nautical miles from the runway threshold and at an altitude of about 1,800 ft msl (or about 1,000 feet agl). About 3 seconds after beginning that turn, the propeller stopped again. The video showed that after this second propeller stoppage, the airplane continued to bank to the right and the propeller started and stopped 5 additional times, with its rotation lasting only several seconds during each rotation cycle. About 46 seconds after the second propeller stoppage, and immediately before the accident, the camera recorded the airplane being over trees before it began a steep right descending turn, followed by tree contact and ground impact. The ADS-B data showed that during this time, the airplane turned away from a golf course fairway that was nearly directly ahead and toward the runway, which was still nearly 1.5 nautical miles away.
The pilot/mechanic’s failure to remove excess sealant from the header fuel tank after recent maintenance, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine and a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inflight decision making following the initial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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