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<< Lancair Builders' Mail List >>
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Gentlemen of the list:
The memo will update you on the developments on the crash of N424E, a
Lancair IVP, ser #11 built by John Kerner which crashed in Flagstaff AZ,
June 16th killing the pilot Tony Durizzi. As you recall, he crashed 2
miles short of the Flagstaff airport after a flight from Ada, OK which
lasted 3hr 13 min at FL 220 in VFR Conditions. The engine was not running
at the time of impact and based upon his distress call just prior to the
crash, while on a final approach he lost his engine and was forced to make
an emergency landing. Fuel was found in the lines and spider valve
under pressure.
Subsequent to the crash, a Lancair factory representative along with the
FAA and NTSB inspected the wreckage and determined that a fuel vent for
one of the fuel bays in the leading edge of the right wing had been omitted.
Additionally, it was determined that during the closing of the left wing,
resin had dripped onto the slosh door and restricted it from having
full movement.
The forensic data report commissioned by the NTSB from Archangel
Avionics on the contents of the memory chip in the EFIS has been obtained.
The results are that the fuel totalizer showed 14.6 gallons remaining at
the time of impact. Previous testing of the EFIS fuel totalizer by
Tony and myself showed that it was accurate to within 2% (i.e. 1 gal per
50 gal fuel load usage). As a part of the pre-start checklist we
entered the full fuel capacity once the plane was topped off so it is
reasonable to assume that the totalizer started with 80 gal. These
numbers indicate a total fuel burn for the 3.25 hr flight of 65.4 gal or
20.12 GPH which are in line with tested performance results for this aircraft.
In January 2001, Tony checked the fuel capacity of the plane by draining
the tanks and re-filling them. The actual original fuel receipts and
his notes have been located and demonstrate that a total of 80.5 gallons were
possible to be carried on board. Prior to departure from Ada, OK witnesses
saw the plane topped off which was confirmed by the FBO.
Clearly Tony was under the impression that there were 80 gals of fuel on
board. We know this from the fact that Tony went into exhaustive detail
documenting the fuel capacity testing which included draining and re-
filling each tank as stated above.
However, we can now determine that some 14 gal were un-usable. This 14
gal can be accounted for by virtue of the 9 gal held in the right wing fuel
bay which was blocked from being usable by the missing vent, 2 gal
normally un-usable in a IVP and the remaining 3.6 gal a combination of
a gauge error (2% = 1.6gal) and/or fuel which was un-usable due to un-porting
caused by the restricted slosh door in the left wing.
I realize that many of the members of the list have voiced the opinion that
this crash was due to as much pilot error as anything. While I understand
the natural
inclination to want to believe these planes we build and fly are safe
and the mistakes of others will not be repeated by ourselves, I have
to point out that this accident could have happened to any one of us.
While it is true that Tony was aware that the aircraft had fuel system
problems, he had every reason to believe that he and the builder had
repaired those problems. He was able to put a full 80 gal in the tanks
whereas prior to the repair this was not possible. However he never
had any idea that 14 of those 80 gals could not be delivered to the
engine ... something many of us would have missed as well.
I hope this information is of use and that it will cause us all to look
closely at the planes we fly to determine weaknesses before they rise up
and bite us.
Regards,
Dave Riggs
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LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/mkaye/maillist.html
LML Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair
Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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