Rewey William M CH 801 N171WR

Summary

On 23 August 2009 at about 16:28 local time, a Rewey William M CH 801 registered N171WR was involved in an accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 August 2009 at 16:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Blackhawk Airfield (87Y)

Coordinates

43.0792, -89.1990

Aircraft

Rewey William M CH 801

Registration

N171WR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cottage Grove → Cottage Grove

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA537

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation from a blocked fuel screen that resulted from the pilot/owner's inadequate inspection and maintenance of the fuel system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal, but that, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. He lowered the airplane’s nose to establish a glide and set-up for a forced landing. He executed an emergency landing to an area of tall grass adjacent to a pond. The pilot noted that the airplane “stalled out perhaps 5 [feet] or 10 [feet] above the 5 [foot] high grass--then came down hard.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear wing spar and attachment fittings. A postaccident inspection revealed that the carburetor fuel inlet screen was blocked with metal particles, sand, dirt, insects and other debris. The pilot stated that although he had inspected the gascolator screen, he had not inspected the fuel system screens. The pilot was also the owner and builder of the amateur-built airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.