Accident Overview
On July 27, 2012, at approximately 1535 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft 95-A55, registration N1572S, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Homerville, Georgia. The airplane was operated by Spread Your Wings LLC under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight from Douglas Municipal Airport (DQH), Georgia, to Flying Ten Airport (0J8), Archer, Florida. The flight departed DQH at 1500.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that while cruising at 5,000 feet mean sea level approximately five nautical miles from Homerville Airport (HOE), a sudden loss of power occurred in the left engine. No prior indications of low oil pressure or elevated engine temperature were noted. The pilot feathered the left propeller and began a descent toward HOE. Despite feathering, the airplane could not maintain altitude. Realizing that reaching HOE was not possible, the pilot elected to perform a forced landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the road and entered a ditch.
Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the scene and confirmed structural damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The fuel was drained, and no debris was found in the fuel before recovery.
Engine Analysis
The left engine was test-run and operated only when the airframe electric fuel boost pump was activated. When the boost pump was turned off, the engine stopped. The engine-driven fuel pump was removed and sent to Continental Motors Incorporated (CMI) for analysis. CMI conducted flow tests and disassembly under NTSB supervision. Examination revealed debris blocking the vapor return jet within the fuel pump. Once the debris was removed, the pump flowed correctly. A review of the left engine logbook indicated that the fuel line from the firewall to the engine-driven fuel pump had been replaced the day before the accident.