Pilot Debrief

FRANK WARE VELOCITY TXL near Sebastian, FL — 2016-07-23

Final reportERA16LA268
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Date
2016-07-23
Location
Sebastian, FL, USA
Airport
X26
Aircraft
FRANK WARE VELOCITY TXL
Registration
N916TC
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power due to maintenance personnel’s improper setting of the aneroid adjustment.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot stated that before departing on the personal flight, the engine did not start on the first attempt; he primed the engine, and then it started immediately. During the takeoff roll, he noted that he used more of the runway than usual. After rotation, the airplane was not climbing, and then the engine lost total power. He did not have time to restart the engine and performed a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage. An engine test run and an examination of the fuel pump were performed. The examination revealed that the aneroid adjustment within the fuel pump was set for too rich of a mixture. The rich mixture setting caused the engine to run normally until the manifold pressure went above 36 inches of pressure (in excess of the maximum manifold pressure for which the engine was certified); then it would stumble then lose power. After the aneroid adjustment was set for a leaner mixture, the fuel pump operated normally on the test bench without any anomalies. A review of maintenance work orders revealed that the fuel pump was removed, repaired, and reinstalled about 2 months before the accident. Given this information, it is likely that maintenance personnel set the aneroid adjustment too high at that time, which caused the engine to run with an excessively rich mixture, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on climbout.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Throttle limiting the manifold pressure before takeoff could have prevented engine power loss.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 9 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents9

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