Waco UPF-7 N32011

Summary

On 27 August 2012 at about 18:45 local time, a Waco UPF-7 registered N32011 was involved in an accident near Jim Falls, Wisconsin, United States. One person was 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

27 August 2012 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Jim Falls, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

45.0433, -91.2708

Aircraft

Waco UPF-7

Registration

N32011

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chippewa Falls → Chippewa Falls

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA582

Nobody was injured.

The blockage of the right fuel tank vent, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a local proficiency flight, throughout which the pilot had the fuel selector set to its “both” position, the airplane’s engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and performed a forced landing, during which the airplane's left landing gear impacted an obstacle and the airplane skidded sideways and nosed over. The pilot stated that initially he did not observe fuel leaking from either fuel tank vent after the accident. However, after he opened and resealed the tank caps, the pilot noticed fuel leaking from the right fuel tank vent, consistent with an existing fuel vent obstruction having been dislodged. Subsequent examination revealed no usable fuel in the left fuel tank and 20 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any other anomalies that would have caused a loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.