Pitcher W-8 N13PE

Summary

On 20 May 1995 at about 16:57 local time, a Pitcher W-8 registered N13PE was involved in an accident near Mineral, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 1995 at 16:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Mineral, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Holly Springs (80VA)

Coordinates

38.0002, -77.8998

Aircraft

Pitcher W-8

Registration

N13PE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC95LA115

1 person died.

an electrical system problem that resulted in a blown (failed) fuze and an inoperative electric fuel pump, which in turn resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DEPARTED IN THE HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE THAT HE PURCHASED 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT, NOSED DOWN, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. NO FUEL WAS DETECTED IN CARBURETOR, AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MOUNTED ON THE FIREWALL CONTAINED FUEL, AND WHEN TESTED, OPERATED NORMALLY. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED THAT OF THE FOUR SWITCHES AND FOUR FUSES, ONLY THE MASTER SWITCH WAS LABELED. THE MASTER SWITCH FUSE FILAMENT WAS OBSERVED TO BE BROKEN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.