Cessna C175A N6868E

Summary

On 20 April 2008 at about 01:55 local time, a Cessna C175A registered N6868E was involved in an accident near Groveland, California, United States. One person was 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

20 April 2008 at 01:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Groveland, California, United States

Nearest airport

Pine Mountain Lake Airport (E45)

Coordinates

37.8617, -120.1778

Aircraft

Cessna C175A

Registration

N6868E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Groveland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08LA118

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a blocked fuel line that was improperly fabricated by the pilot. Also causal was the pilot's excessive ground speed during the taxi tests that resulted in an inadvertent takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who was also a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic, was conducting a series of high-speed taxi tests after installing a recently purchased engine. While performing the tests, the airplane's ground speed became excessive and it encountered a gust of wind. The airplane unintentionally became airborne and continued to climb. The pilot attempted to return back to the airport but the engine experienced a total loss of power. The airplane subsequently collided with a telephone pole and descended nose-low onto the road below. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine. During the disassembly of the fuel line connecting the gascolator to the carburetor, he observed a condition inside the line known as a "flapper valve" at both end fittings. The inspector stated that this was the fuel line that the pilot had recently fabricated. He stated that the "flapper valve" condition can occur as a result of the end fittings being installed without using a mandrel, where the fitting edge cuts the inside of the hose creating a valve-like piece that obstructs fuel flow.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.