Graham FALCON XP N647AA
20 July 1996 · Mesa, Arizona, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 20 July 1996 at about 16:20 local time, a Graham FALCON XP registered N647AA was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 16:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mesa, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Falcon Field (FFZ)
- Coordinates
- 33.4293, -111.7097
- Aircraft
- Graham FALCON XP
- Registration
- N647AA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX96LA281
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
blockage of the fuel system vent in the fuel cap, when the pilot overtorqued the fuel cap during his preflight check, which restricted fuel flow to the engine. The pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of airplane was a related factor.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After takeoff, the pilot remained in the traffic pattern and initiated a go-around after the first landing. During the initial climb, the engine decelerated to idle, then lost all power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport, but was unable. The airplane was damaged during a forced landing in an orange grove. During an examination after the accident, no mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the engine or any of the engine components. The airplane's fuel system tank vent in the fuel cap was found closed. The design of the cap consisted of a rubber stopper that was squeezed by a threaded wing bolt. A small hole in the stopper served as a vent. When squeezing pressure was applied to the rubber stopper by turning the wing nut, the wall would expand, decreasing the size of the fuel system vent. Excessive tightening of the wing nut would squeeze the vent closed. The pilot had only about 4 hours of flight time in this make/model of airplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1996 | Cessna 172C | Mesa, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1996 | Aero Commander 690 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Sun West Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 17 Oct 1996 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Mesa, Arizona, United States | MD Helicopter Systems | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Apr 1996 | Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Apr 1996 | Cessna 172 | Sedona, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Oct 1996 | Leibert BD-5B | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |