Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII N246AK

Summary

On 6 May 2014 at about 16:18 local time, a Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII registered N246AK was involved in an accident near Crivitz, Wisconsin, 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

6 May 2014 at 16:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Crivitz, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

45.2144, -88.0739

Aircraft

Kinsler Arthur Paul KINSLER LANCAIR/MKII

Registration

N246AK

Category

Airplane

Year built

1999

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oconto → Iron Mountain

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA241

1 person was seriously injured.

The improper installation of the hose fuel fitting, which resulted in the fitting becoming disconnected and the subsequent 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

The pilot reported that, about 10 to 15 minutes after takeoff in the single-engine airplane, he smelled fuel in the cockpit, and the airplane's fuel pressure gauge read 0. He activated the electric fuel boost pump, but the fuel pressure reading remained 0. At this point, the engine lost power, and the pilot subsequently executed a wheels-up forced landing to a field. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the inlet hose to the mechanical fuel pump was not connected; the hose fitting and the fuel pump's mating fitting were not damaged. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the hose fuel fitting was not properly installed, which allowed the fitting to vibrate loose during operation until it became disconnected and resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Because the hose fitting was found higher than the fuel tanks, fuel would not have leaked from the hose while the airplane was parked. Therefore, the pilot would not have been able to detect the discrepancy during preflight examination of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.