Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rosemount, Minnesota 55424
Tuesady, July 31, 1990 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON VFR DOWNWIND FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE AIRPORT AND SELECTED A CORN FIELD FOR LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED ON CONTACT WITH THE CROPS. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO VAPOR LOCK IN THE FUEL LINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PILOT/OPERATOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER (AMATEUR BUILT) TO DESIGN FUEL SYSTEM ADEQUATELY TO PREVENT VAPOR LOCK IN FUEL LINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ROSEMOUNT
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55424
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 900
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 30
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 865
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42040
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N853BF
NTSB Number CHI90DER04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BD 4- FRANCISCO
Aircraft Model BD-4
Aircraft Series Identifier BD-4
Aircraft Serial Number 445
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Oct 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 90
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOYD M. FRANCISCO, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13996 HOLYOKE COURT
Aircraft Owner City APPLE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55124
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --