Pilot Debrief

AVID AVID FLYER near Grant-Valkaria, FL — 2018-10-13

Final reportERA19LA015
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Date
2018-10-13
Location
Grant-Valkaria, FL, USA
Aircraft
AVID AVID FLYER
Registration
N3HH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to a carburetor malfunction, which resulted in a forced landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was in cruise flight when the engine lost partial power, then total power. He restarted the engine and briefly regained partial power, but shortly thereafter, the engine again lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. A test run of the engine indicated no anomalies; however, further inspection revealed a stuck float needle in the carburetor and a clogged carburetor vent line, which could have led to an excess vacuum in the carburetor and restricted fuel flow. It is likely that this restriction caused a transient condition that resulted in the loss of engine power that was not replicated during the test run.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked engine performance before flight to prevent power loss.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents3

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