NILES, MI, USA
N305BJ
BILLINGS/WHITE AVID FLYER
WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT'S ENG LOST POWER DURING A TURN ONTO BASE LEG. THE ACFT WAS THEN MANEUVERED IN A 360 DEG TURN, AS IF TO LAND IN A FIELD. AS IT WAS BEING MANEUVERED, IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THAT BOTH CARBURETORS WERE LOOSE. CONFIGURATION OF THE ENG REQUIRED THAT EACH CARBURETOR BE SECURED WITH 2 CLAMPS. ONLY 3 OF THE 4 CLAMPS WERE FOUND DESPITE AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH. THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS ON ITS 3RD FLT & WAS BEING FLOWN FROM AN EAA FLY-IN BY THE 2 BUILDERS WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED.
LOOSE CARBURETOR(S) DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/INSTALLATION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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