Breiter AEROSPORT QUAIL N47075

Summary

On 28 June 2001 at about 21:00 local time, a Breiter AEROSPORT QUAIL registered N47075 was involved in an accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 June 2001 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

43.4994, -111.8894

Aircraft

Breiter AEROSPORT QUAIL

Registration

N47075

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Idaho Falls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA123

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall velocity (Vs) during his attempt to stretch a reduced power forced landing glide. Factors include fuel starvation, a partial loss of power due to fuel contamination, and the pilots inadequate preflight of an aircraft that had not been flown for over 13 years.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While attempting a touch-and-go landing in an aircraft that had not been flown for over 13 years, the pilot allowed the aircraft to land hard and balloon back into the air. During the following climb-out, the aircraft's engine began to lose power. The pilot then tried to execute a teardrop return to the airstrip, but realized he would not be able to reach it. He therefore attempted to put the aircraft down in a nearby grain field, but the aircraft stall/mushed into the terrain when the pilot allowed the airspeed to get too low while trying to stretch the glide. The investigation determined that solid contaminants that had accumulated in the fuel system over the thirteen year period of inactivity were dislodged by the hard landing, and subsequently restricted the fuel flow to the engine. Although the pilot had taken a sample of fuel from the gasculator, he did not visually inspect the fuel tanks, carburetor bowl, or the interior of the gasculator.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.