KIRKLAND, IL, USA
N11WR
RENNINGER MUSTANG II
ABOUT 25 MIN AFTER LNDG FROM A PREVIOUS FLT, THE PLT TOOK OFF TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS & LNDGS ON RWY 18. HE CLIMBED ABOUT 1200' & TURNED ONTO A CROSSWIND LEG. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PLT TRIED TO LAND ON RWY 27, BUT HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALT & SPEED. AS HE WAS COMPLETING A TURN TOWARD THE RWY, A WING TIP CONTACTED THE GRND & THE ACFT CRASH LANDED. THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP ON THE RWY. THE PLT SAID HE THEN TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR OFF, BUT ABOUT 4 TO 5 MIN LATER, A FIRE ERUPTED, WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE ACFT HAD BEEN SVCD WITH AUTO FUEL, WHICH CONTAINED A LOWER VAPOR PRESSURE THAN AVIATION FUEL & WAS MORE VULNERABLE TO VAPOR LOCK.
FUEL STARVATION (POSSIBLY FROM VAPOR LOCK), WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF GROUND CLEARANCE DURING A FINAL TURN TO LAND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
