Kevin Eldredge STEWART N551X

Summary

On 6 March 2009 at about 19:53 local time, a Kevin Eldredge STEWART registered N551X was involved in an accident near Ocala, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 March 2009 at 19:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocala, Florida, United States

Coordinates

29.2183, -82.1508

Aircraft

Kevin Eldredge STEWART

Registration

N551X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ocala → Ocala

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09LA184

1 person died.

A loss of engine power due to contamination and clogging of the fuel system by a post-assembly fuel tank sealant.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

About 6 years before the accident, the owner/pilot purchased the disassembled experimental amateur-built airplane from its builder, who had flown the airplane on multiple occasions. The pilot reassembled the airplane, and spent several months attempting to resolve fuel leaks in the airplane's integral wing tanks. Subsequent to the pilot's use of a slosh sealant in the fuel tanks, the engine lost power during two separate high-speed taxi tests, due to clogged fuel screens. The day prior to the accident, the pilot conducted his first flight in the airplane, which lasted about 18 minutes. During his second flight in the airplane, the pilot was fatally injured when the airplane impacted trees and terrain about 11 miles from his home airport, and a post-crash fire ensued. Many witnesses reported that the airplane was low, and that the engine sounded unusual. Five witnesses reported that the engine had stopped. Several witnesses reported that the airplane banked sharply in order to avoid a 500-foot-tall cell phone tower located about 500 feet from the impact location. Airplane assembly guidance specified the use of a commercial sealant called "Pro-Seal" during fuel tank assembly, but did not specify or prohibit the use of a slosh sealant, which was intended to be used after assembly. The technical information for the slosh sealant that was found in the pilot's hangar stated that the condition and cleanliness of the surface can affect sealant adhesion. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the interior surfaces of the wing bays that were used to contain fuel exhibited a charred brown/black material consistent with a fire-damaged internal tank coating. One in-tank fuel pickup finger screen was partially occluded by the material, but the pre-accident condition of the finger screen could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.