What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2001-05-06 involved an Aeronca 11AC, registration N9267E, at Brewer, ME.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, which resulted in insufficient fuel in the forward tank and loss of engine power during the climb. Also causal, was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed after the engine failure, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and impact with the ground.

Engine Stops During Climb After Hand-Prop Start; Aircraft Spins During Attempted Return (N9267E)

On May 6, 2001, an Aeronca 11AC (registration N9267E) was involved in an aviation accident near Brewer, ME. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, which resulted in insufficient fuel in the forward tank and loss of engine power during the climb. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

During climb after hand-propping and runups, engine and propeller stopped at 150-200 ft. Pilot attempted slip back to runway but aircraft stalled, impacted ground, and spun 180 degrees. Forward fuel tank empty; aft tank quantity unknown.

Accident Sequence

The pilot reported that during preflight, he observed fuel in both the forward and aft fuel tanks. He hand-propped the engine, and after startup, conducted two engine runups before taking off. During the climb, between 150 and 200 feet of altitude, the engine and propeller stopped running. The pilot attempted to slip the airplane back onto the grass runway; however, it stalled, then impacted the ground and spun around approximately 180 degrees.

Fuel System Examination

Post-accident examination revealed that the fuel system was not compromised. The forward fuel tank was empty, and the aft fuel tank contained an unknown quantity of fuel. Small amounts of fuel were also found in the gascolator and carburetor.

Operational Considerations

During climbs, the aircraft's fuel system could only draw fuel from the forward tank. The pilot noted that he had seen fuel in both tanks during preflight. No other anomalies were reported.

Conclusion

The circumstances of the loss of engine power were consistent with fuel starvation, as the forward fuel tank was empty and no other fuel system malfunctions were identified.

2001-05-06: Aeronca 11AC (N9267E) — Brewer, ME