Sterner SUPER CAT N531SC

Summary

On 6 September 1993 at about 23:00 local time, a Sterner SUPER CAT registered N531SC, operated by Kerry John Sterner, was involved in an accident near Cherryville, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 1993 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Cherryville, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

40.7504, -75.5403

Aircraft

Sterner SUPER CAT

Registration

N531SC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kerry John Sterner

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

BFO93LA162

Nobody was injured.

THE MOVEMENT OF A THUMBSCREW ON THE FUEL FILTER SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL FLOW BLOCKAGE AND SUBSEQUENT PARTIAL POWER LOSS. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING TAKE-OFF CLIMB, AT ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED OR ALTITUDE TO LAND AT THE DEPARTED AIR FIELD, AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. DURING THE DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT AN EXTERNALLY MOUNTED IN-LINE FUEL FILTER, MANUFACTURED BY PUROLATOR, PART NUMBER PRO-804, WAS RESTRICTING FUEL FLOW. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL FILTER REVEALED THAT THE FUEL FILTER'S ELEMENT RETENTION THUMBSCREW HAD LOOSENED AND ROTATED DOWN COVERING ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE FUEL INLET OPENINGS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.