Accident Details
On August 20, 2008, at approximately 1330 Pacific daylight time, a Hawker Sea Fury TMK 20, registration N51SF, experienced a total loss of engine power while on final approach to runway 14 at Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) in Reno, Nevada. The aircraft was operated by Cavanaugh Air Museum, Inc., under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance test flight. The pilot, who held an airline transport pilot certificate and was also a mechanic, was not injured.
During the forced landing, the pilot maneuvered away from the instrument landing system (ILS) path, and the airplane came to rest short of runway 32 on the desert floor.
Airplane Damage
The forced landing resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. The tail section separated at the empennage. Additionally, the propeller and leading edges of both wings sustained damage.
Carburetor Examination
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, a new carburetor had been installed on the airplane the day before the accident. The accident flight was a maintenance check flight. The carburetor was subsequently shipped to Vintage Carburetors, Inc., in Tehachapi, California, for examination.
Repair personnel reported that prior to disassembly, the carburetor was placed on a flow bench and did not pass the air leakage check; chamber B became filled with fuel and would not flow. According to paperwork submitted by Vintage Carburetors, if either or both of the air passages (chamber A or B) contain fuel, it could indicate leaking diaphragms. During disassembly, repair personnel noted that the center balance diaphragm (part number 366999) had ruptured.