Accident Overview
On December 11, 2020, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Kolb Firestar II, registration N7094T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durham, North Carolina. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that, about 20 minutes into the flight, the engine began losing power while the airplane was at approximately 500 ft above ground level. The engine monitoring system did not indicate any problem. Despite the pilot’s attempts to increase power, the engine continued to lose power, and the airplane descended.
The pilot chose to conduct a forced landing on a lake. During the landing flare, the wheels contacted the water surface, causing the airplane to immediately flip forward. It came to rest inverted and partially submerged. The pilot egressed and swam to the surface, where he was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft.
Damage and Recovery
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The tail separated about 2 ft aft of the fuel tank, and the leading outboard edges of the wings were crushed and torn open. The airplane remained submerged until the following day, when it was recovered and transported to the owner’s hangar for further examination.
Post-Accident Examination
The owner performed an examination and discovered that the fuel primer bulb was missing the fuel input primer spring. The owner observed that the check ball valve lacked spring tension, preventing the ball from seating properly during normal operations. The owner reported that the system should ideally be installed vertically, but on the accident airplane, it was installed horizontally. Without the spring, gravity was inadequate to keep the check ball from migrating inside the primer inlet fuel line.