Team 1600R N827WS

Summary

On 7 June 2020 at about 19:13 local time, a Team 1600R registered N827WS was involved in an accident near Marshall, Michigan, 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

7 June 2020 at 19:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Marshall, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.2458, -84.9911

Aircraft

Team 1600R

Registration

N827WS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marshall → Marshall

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA216

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel’s improper installation of an improperly sized clamp on the fuel supply line, which allowed air to enter the supply line, a subsequent loss of engine power, and a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed from a campground area in the single-engine experimental airplane. During the airplane’s initial climb, the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing into a cornfield, which substantially damaged both wing struts.  Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a loose fuel supply line to the inlet fitting of the vacuum-driven fuel pump. Although the clamp on the inlet fitting was tightened to its maximum clamping position, it was not the correct size, and the fuel supply line was still loose in the fitting. Thus, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not ensure an airtight fitting with a properly sized clamp, which allowed air to enter the fuel supply line and resulted in a loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.