Boeing A75N1 N985SS

Summary

On 20 April 2013 at about 17:27 local time, a Boeing A75N1 registered N985SS, operated by Bell Patrick C, was involved in an accident near Santa Rosa, California, 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 April 2013 at 17:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Rosa, California, United States

Coordinates

38.5089, -122.8128

Aircraft

Boeing A75N1

Registration

N985SS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bell Patrick C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petaluma → Petaluma

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13LA212

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination and partially blocked fuel screens.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While joining up in formation flight with a second airplane, the pilot reduced engine power to slow his airplane. When he subsequently tried to increase the engine power, he noticed no response from the engine. The pilot stated that the engine was still running; however, the adjustment of the throttle control and the electric fuel boost pump did not alter the engine's power setting. The pilot performed a forced landing to a vineyard, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the main fuel system screen contained a fuzzy, spongy material along with other debris. The throttle body screen also contained small debris particles. Debris was also found in fuel that was removed from the lower fuel tank. It is likely that the debris within the fuel system restricted fuel flow to the engine and limited the power output. The source of the debris was undetermined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.