Pilot Debrief

PARKER LOEHLE MUSTANG T5151 near Livermore, CA — 2014-06-22

Final reportWPR14FA258
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Date
2014-06-22
Location
Livermore, CA, USA
Airport
LVK
Aircraft
PARKER LOEHLE MUSTANG T5151
Registration
N518BC
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

An in-flight fire of unknown origin for reasons that could not be determined because of impact damage and postimpact fire damage.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a local personal flight. One witness reported that the airplane departed the airport and that, when it was about 2 miles from the airport, it pitched up, banked left, and then flew straight down. Another witness stated that the airplane was trailing smoke and appeared to be on fire and that the airplane banked left and right, pitched up, and then pitched straight down. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain, which ignited a grass fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage found no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A year before the accident, the pilot was involved in a hard landing following a loss of engine power in the accident airplane. Review of recent correspondence between the pilot and the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the pilot had removed fuel filters on the airplane that had resulted in the loss of power at certain altitudes and installed an electric fuel pump in addition to replacing all of the polyurethane tubing that supplied fuel to the engine. Maintenance records revealed no entries pertaining to the fuel system. Due to impact damage and postimpact fire damage, the source of the in-flight fire could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight after previous power loss incident.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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