Rudolph Zeller LANCAIR N360R
22 April 1991 · Titusville, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 22 April 1991 at about 14:53 local time, a Rudolph Zeller LANCAIR registered N360R, operated by Zeller, Rudolph, was involved in an accident near Titusville, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:53
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Titusville, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Space Center Executive (TIX)
- Coordinates
- 28.5801, -80.8191
- Aircraft
- Rudolph Zeller LANCAIR
- Registration
- N360R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Zeller, Rudolph
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Cocoa Beach → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA91LA126
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE USE OF IMPROPER MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/BUILDER RESULTING IN FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE DOOR WHICH RESULTED IN BLOCKAGE OF AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR AND LOSS OF ALL ENGINE POWER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
FLT EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING. PROPER FUEL QUANTITY WAS PRESENT IN ACFT AND ENGINE AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX ALTERNATE AIR DOOR WAS FOUND BROKEN OFF IN THE AIR BOX AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WAS IN A POSITION TO BLOCK AIR FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR. THE DOOR WAS MADE BY THE ACFT OWNER/BUILDER OUT OF .032 INCH THICK METAL WITH A SHARP 90 DEGREE BEND AT THE POINT OF FAILURE. THE ACFT PLANS CALL FOR .040 INCH METAL. THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX HAD NO IMPACT DAMAGE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE DOOR TO FAIL AND MARKS IN THE BOX INDICATED THE DOOR HAD MOVED AROUND IN THE BOX FOR SOMETIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 1991 | Hughes 269C | Deland, Florida, United States | Maverick Helicopters, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Jan 1991 | Cessna 182N | La Belle, Florida, United States | Smith, Gregory H. | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Jan 1991 | Cessna 175 | Okeechobee, Florida, United States | Davia, Samuel J. JR. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1991 | Cessna 172N | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | Embry-Riddle Aero. Univ., Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 1991 | Cessna 152 | Miami, Florida, United States | Silver Express, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jan 1991 | Piper PA-31-350 | Orlando, Florida, United States | Top Flight Air Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |