Bad Week For Mother Nature v. Aircraft

There are some sad lessons to be found in the following NTSB preliminary accident summary... an aircraft (a GC-1B Swift, file photo below) that hadn't flown for quite a while was flown without (apparently) proper inspection and downed by causes clearly associated with its long down-time.

OK, folks... preflight, preflight, preflight... and if there are any questions, be sure to have a qualified aircraft tech look things over before taking flight.

NTSB Identification: NYC07LA233
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 21, 2007 in New Smyrna Bch, FL
Aircraft: Temco GC-1B, registration: N2455B
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 21, 2007, about 1305 eastern daylight time, a Temco GC-1B (Globe Swift), N2455B, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, after it experienced a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff from the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (EVB), New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual metrological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane had not been flown in about two years, and the pilot was repositioning the airplane to Edgewater, Florida. Prior to takeoff, the pilot added 6 gallons of fuel to the main fuel tank, and subsequently departed runway 11, a 4,319-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The airplane experienced a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff, and the pilot attempted a forced landing to a grass area, parallel to runway 2. During the landing, the airplane cart-wheeled, and impacted trees. The forward portion of the fuselage, forward of the main spar, was completely separated.

The airplane was equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360 engine.

Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the fuel selector was placed in the main tank position, and there was no evidence of any useable fuel present in both the left and right wing fuel tanks, which were compromised. Examination of the main fuel tank vent line revealed that it was completely obstructed by a mud dauber nest. No other discrepancies with the engine or airframe were noted.

The pilot reported 16,520 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third class medical certificate, which was issued on November 29, 2006.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov