Veith KOLB SLING SHOT N56CV

Summary

On 24 July 2001 at about 18:46 local time, a Veith KOLB SLING SHOT registered N56CV was involved in an accident near Goodview, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 July 2001 at 18:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Goodview, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

44.0406, -91.6504

Aircraft

Veith KOLB SLING SHOT

Registration

N56CV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mankato → Winona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA237

1 person died.

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation caused by a blocked, unsecured, fuel vent line. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the forced landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall at a low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported hearing the airplane's engine quit operating and observed the airplane gliding towards an open field. The witnesses stated the airplane entered a steep turn, stalled, and impacted the terrain. Witnesses who responded to the accident site reported there was fuel present in all three fuel tanks. No anomalies were found with the flight control systems that could be associated with any pre-impact condition. The fuel system was modified from the kit-supplied construction drawings. The two main fuel tanks were vented through their handles using flexible tubing. The two vent lines initiating from the tank handles combined at a T-fitting and a single flexible vent line was run from the fitting down between the fuel tanks. The terminating end of the vent line was cut perpendicular to the line and the vent line was not secured. The two main fuel tanks were mounted on a metal tray lined with a flexible neoprene pad. The unsecured vent line was able to move along the bottom of the tray and make contact with the neoprene liner. The engine was mounted on a test stand and was configured with the original aircraft's fuel filter, fuel pump, gascolator, and pulse pump. The engine started without any anomalies. The engine developed full power at 6,500 rpm during the full throttle test. Both ignition systems functioned without any anomalies. No anomalies were found with the engine or its related systems that could be associated with any pre-impact condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.