Amateur-built KITFOX III N873RX accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The degraded fuel line, which prevented fuel from the left tank from reaching the header tank and resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB analysis

The airplane was about 1,000 feet above ground level when the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot was able to momentarily regain engine power twice before the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane's nose impacted terrain, which pushed the engine rearward and buckled the structure under the forward cockpit area. A postaccident examination revealed that the left wing fuel tank was nearly full, and the fuel line connecting the left wing fuel tank to the header tank had softened at the installation bend, which allowed the fuel line to kink and shut off the fuel supply from the left wing tank. The right wing and header fuel tanks were empty, and the fuel line from the right tank was intact and functioned normally. The fuel system on newer models of the accident airplane have been modified to include a 90-degree elbow fitting, which prevents the tight bend in the fuel line from the wing tanks to the header tank.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13FA440 for the full record.