Murrin Frederick L SOPWITH F1 N6338

Summary

On 14 July 2007 at about 00:45 local time, a Murrin Frederick L SOPWITH F1 registered N6338 was involved in an accident near Greenville, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 July 2007 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenville, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Greenville Municipal Airport (4G1)

Coordinates

41.4469, -80.3914

Aircraft

Murrin Frederick L SOPWITH F1

Registration

N6338

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX07LA220

1 person was seriously injured.

a fuel starvation induced loss of engine power due to inadequate fuel system pressure. A factor in the accident was the pilot/builder's failure to adequately adjust the fuel system pressure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The amateur-built replica airplane was in the initial test flight stage and had only 3 hours total time. The pilot was returning to the airport with only 1/4 tank of fuel to attempt a landing. During the approach, he applied full power to perform a go-around, but the engine did not respond. He pumped the manual fuel pressure handle a few times, and the engine regained power, but then lost all power. The airplane then collided with terrain in a corn field. The pilot said he designed the fuel system to replicate the original, but only had limited historical documentation to work from. The system utilized both an engine driven fuel pump, and a separate wing strut mounted propeller driven air pump that pressurizes the fuel tank to maintain fuel pressure for the engine. On previous flights the fuel tank was full or nearly so during the landings. The pilot surmised that on the day of the accident, the 1/4 tank of fuel onboard did not provide the head pressure that existed on previous flights. He also stated that the system fuel pressure should have been increased by adjusting the strut mounted relief valve on the air pump.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.