At 13:45 eastern time, an Aeronca 11AC lost power shortly after takeoff from Brewer Airport and was damaged during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he had onboard fuel approx. 2.5 hours. The pilot hand-propped the engine and conducted two engine runups before taking off on runway 01. The engine quit at about 150 to 200 feet and the pilot landed to the right of the runway. An inspection revealed the fuel system had not been compromised. The forward fuel tank was empty and an aft-mounted fuel tank, which was used for level flight only, contained an unknown quantity of fuel. Nine days later the airplane was again examined in a salvage yard. The gascolator contained about a tablespoon of fuel and numerous rust particles. The fuel line from the gascolator to the carburetor contained no fuel. The carburetor contained 2 to 4 ounces of fuel. The forward fuel tank was empty and the fuel cap was rusted. The rear fuel tank still contained fuel, but the quantity could not be verified. The pilot was adamant that before the accident flight, he looked in both fuel tanks and saw fuel in both.
May 06, Brewer, Maine / Aeronca 11AC
At 13:45 eastern time, an Aeronca 11AC lost power shortly after takeoff from Brewer Airport and was damaged during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he had onboard fuel approx. 2.5 hours. The pilot hand-propped the engine and conducted two engine runups before taking off on runway 01. The engine quit at about 150 to 200 feet and the pilot landed to the right of the runway. An inspection revealed the fuel system had not been compromised. The forward fuel tank was empty and an aft-mounted fuel tank, which was used for level flight only, contained an unknown quantity of fuel. Nine days later the airplane was again examined in a salvage yard. The gas...
Key Takeaways:
- An Aeronca 11AC experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, resulting in a forced landing, aircraft damage, and minor pilot injuries.
- Post-accident inspections revealed the forward fuel tank was empty, and the fuel system contained rust particles and minimal fuel, strongly indicating fuel starvation.
- Despite the pilot's insistence of having seen fuel in both tanks before the flight, evidence pointed to a critical fuel delivery issue at a low altitude.
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