Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
San Rafael Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Rafael, California 94903
Thursday, October 13, 2011 16:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the takeoff climb, the engine lost all power. The pilot began troubleshooting steps but was unable to increase the engine power and subsequently performed a forced landing into a marsh. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel tank supply line screen had been installed at the fuel sump outlet instead of the fuel line outlet, which allowed unfiltered fuel to flow to the carburetor. An elbow fitting in the fuel supply line was partially occluded with plastic fragments and residential pipe sealant tape. Although fuel was found in the gascolator, the high-wing fuel tank design was such that the gascolator most likely filled with fuel via the partially blocked line after the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during the takeoff climb due to fuel starvation, which resulted from the incorrect installation location of the fuel tank supply line screen that allowed debris to partially block the fuel supply line.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/13/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1615 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | San Rafael |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94903 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 380101n |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223115w |
| Event Location Airport | San Rafael |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CA35 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1535 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 350 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KDVO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.87 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KDVO 132235Z AUTO 13004KT -RA CLR 29/12 A298 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29771 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2012 5:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N762S |
| NTSB Number | WPR12LA009 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SPINK ROBERT M |
| Aircraft Model | PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1691 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1275 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 21 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 23.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 271.73 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael J Giddens |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Novato |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94949 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Michael J Giddens |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Novato |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 94949 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | CA35 |
| Departure City | San Rafael |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1614 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CA35 |
| Destination City | San Rafael |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 22 2012 6:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sime1 |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 04 |
| Runway Length | 2140 |
| Runway Width | 30 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |