| Crash location | 31.000000°N, 97.000000°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Temple, TX
31.098234°N, 97.342782°W 21.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N60JN |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 08 Mar 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Bereznak Lancair Legacy |
| Additional details: | None |
On March 8, 2018, about 1045 central standard daylight time, a Bereznak Lancair Legacy, N60JN, experienced a partial loss of engine power while in cruise flight at 9,500 feet, and the pilot made a forced landing in a plowed field one-mile northwest of Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL), Temple, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries. His passenger was not injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by a, Airborne Legacy, LLC, Austin, Texas, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at and about the time of the accident. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas, and was destined for Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Dallas, Texas.
In his accident report the pilot said that after levelling off at 9,500 feet, he switched from the right to the left fuel tank to maintain balance. He noticed a change in the sound of the engine and a decline in fuel flow (the airplane was not equipped with a fuel pressure gauge). He switched back to the right fuel tank and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, but this did not correct the problem. During the approach to TPL, manifold pressure was registering but airspeed was decreasing. The pilot advanced the throttle slightly, then applied full throttle. The engine did not respond. Realizing he could not glide to TPL, the pilot made a forced landing in a plowed field.
On April 4, 2018, the engine was examined at the facilities of Air Salvage of Dallas (ASOD), Lancaster, Texas. The engine was intact, undamaged, and remained attached to the airframe. No discrepancies were found that would have prohibited the production of rated horsepower.
The fuel selector handle was separated just below the handle selector. The two "U" joints and the drive shaft were intact. The selector valve was found in the 90 percent closed position. The fuel selector assembly was extensively worn.
The failure of the fuel selector valve in a nearly closed position, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.