Accident Details
On September 30, 2021, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Boeing E75, registration N1654M, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Nicholson, Pennsylvania. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The aircraft was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, while cruising at 3,500 feet, the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot adjusted the throttle, mixture control, fuel valve controls, and carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. Shortly after, a strong smell of fuel was noticed. The pilot then steered the airplane toward a nearby private airstrip. While setting up an approach, he determined the airplane would not reach the runway and performed a forced landing into trees bordering the airport property, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Engine and Fuel System Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that the engine had separated from the fuselage during the accident sequence. Fuel had been draining from the fuel line for "some time" after the accident. The carburetor's rotating mixture actuating rod was difficult to rotate and exhibited binding when turned by hand. The cockpit mixture control lever, through a linkage of push-pull tubes and control arms, rotates this rod.
Disassembly of the carburetor found the actuating rod and the metering needle connected to its inner end were bent. The metering needle attaches to an offset pin at the inner end of the actuating rod; as the rod rotates, the needle moves up or down to control fuel flow, setting the mixture. The carburetor was otherwise undamaged, with no impact marks or deformation on the housing or bushings surrounding the rod and the metering needle seat.
No preimpact anomalies were found with other engine or airframe fuel system components that would have precluded normal operation. The front spark plugs were removed: two had gray-colored electrodes, four had black-colored electrodes, and three were oil soaked.
Maintenance Records
A review of maintenance records showed no entries related to the carburetor or its controls in the preceding 4 years. During that time, the engine accumulated 81 hours of total time.