Raum RANS S-12 N40R

Summary

On 16 July 2001 at about 22:30 local time, a Raum RANS S-12 registered N40R was involved in an accident near Waldorf, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2001 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Waldorf, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.6397, -76.8996

Aircraft

Raum RANS S-12

Registration

N40R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laurel → Waldorf

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA177

1 person was seriously injured.

Fuel contamination. A factor related to the accident was the builder’s decision to not install fuel tank drains.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departing on the accident flight, the pilot fueled the airplane with fuel cans that he had in the garage; however, he could not recall how old the fuel was, or when the last fueling of the airplane took place. The pilot estimated that the wing tanks were filled "half way" prior to the fueling. After departure, while in cruise flight, the pilot turned the airplane, and the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a construction site, and the airplane touched down hard, coming to rest upright. The fuel tanks were not equipped with fuel sump drains, and the only means of assuring the fuel was absent of contamination, was a sump drain located on the manifold, which provided fuel to the engine. According to a representative of the airplane kit manufacturer, the kit was produced with two flat fuel tanks, which included withdrawal points located on the front and back of the tanks. Fuel lines from both wing tanks were then routed to a "mixer block," which was located about 2 feet below the tanks. A valve, located on the "mixer block," enabled the pilot to drain fuel and check for contamination. The representative added that it was at the discretion of the kit builder to install sump drains at the low point of the wing fuel tanks, and they did not provide any guidance on preflight procedures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.