Piper PA-18-150 N4872A

Summary

On 1 June 2000 at about 13:15 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N4872A, operated by Department of Agriculture, was involved in an accident near Austin, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 June 2000 at 13:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Austin, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

39.5394, -117.1906

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N4872A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Department of Agriculture

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Austin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00TA212

2 people had minor injuries.

Loss of engine power caused by a fuel soaked float pontoon causing an over rich fuel/air mixture, in a critical phase of flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he had been monitoring an increase in the fuel burn rate over a period of time. His normal leaning procedure for best power operating from 5,800 feet mean sea level required more mixture control travel. On the day of the accident, it was the second time that the engine had failed to respond to throttle input. The subsequent loss of engine power occurred low to the terrain. Post accident examination of the carburetor revealed a black composite float that felt heavier than normal. One pontoon exhibited light damage to the smooth shell. The engine spark plugs were lightly fuel sooted. According to Precision Airmotive Corporation "mandatory" Service Bulletin MSA-1(replacement of composite floats with metal floats), the type certificate holder of the carburetor, states that; "field reports indicate that composite floats may be absorbing fluid and sinking," replace the existing composite float with a metal float. A sinking float may result in disruption of fuel flow to the engine, Precision Airmotive therefore considers the replacement of composite floats with metal floats mandatory. Compliance is optional for 14 CFR Part 91 operators.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.