Hawker SEA FURY TMK 20 N51SF

Summary

On 20 August 2008 at about 20:30 local time, a Hawker SEA FURY TMK 20 registered N51SF, operated by Cavanaugh Air Museum, Inc., was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, 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.

Date

20 August 2008 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Reno, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Reno Stead Airport (4sd)

Coordinates

39.6678, -119.8825

Aircraft

Hawker SEA FURY TMK 20

Registration

N51SF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cavanaugh Air Museum, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reno → Reno

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08LA271

Nobody was injured.

A ruptured center balance diaphragm that resulted in a loss of engine power during final approach and subsequent forced landing on a desert floor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After installing a new carburetor on the airplane, a flight check was performed. No discrepancies were noted with the run-up or takeoff; however, on final approach, the engine lost power. The pilot had to maneuver the airplane away from the ILS during the forced landing on the desert floor. The tail section separated at the empennage, as well as propeller and leading edge damage to both wings. An inspection of the carburetor revealed that the center balance diaphragm (part number 366999) had ruptured, which allowed fuel into the air passages and forced the engine to lose power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.