YAZOO CITY, MS, USA
N74669
PIPER J5C
ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ON LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED A WASP NEST IN THE VENTURI THAT SWELLED WHEN SATURATED WITH FUEL. THE NEST WAS INSIDE THE CARBURETOR AND WAS NOT VISIBLE ON PREFLIGHT.
On July 29, 1994, about 1910 central daylight time, N74669, a Piper J5C registered to John Granberry, crashed while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot received minor injuries and the 2 passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier. The pilot stated that after takeoff the airplane engine began to cut in and out. The engine then failed and he attempted a forced landing to a field. The airplane nosed over on landing. Examination of the engine by FAA personnel revealed that about 75% of the carburetor venturi area was blocked with mud dauber nest material,that swelled up when saturated with fuel.
PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE CARBURETOR BY A WASP NEST, WHICH WAS NOT VISIBLE DURING PREFLIGHT, AND WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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