THE ACRT CRASHED 200 FT SHORT OF THE RWY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT CAME TO REST 100 FT BELOW THE RWY LEVEL. THE LANDING GEAR WAS BROKEN BACKWARD. THE NOSE OF THE ACRT WAS AGAINST A DIRT BANK. THERE WAS LESS THAN 1 INCH OF FUEL IN ONE CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK. ALL FUEL LINES WERE INTACT BUT THE FIREWALL FUEL FILTER WAS BROKEN AND COULD HAVE LEAKED. DURING TESTING IT WAS CAPABLE OF SYPHONING THE FUEL DOWN TO NE PINT REMAINING IN THE TANK WHEN THE SOIL UNDER THE POSITION OF THE FILTER WAS DUG INTO A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL WAS EVIDENT. THE PILOT SAID THIS ACRT HAD A VAPOR LOCK PROBLEM BEFORE AND A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS INSTALLED. THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS OFF AT THE ACCIDENT SITE BUT THE THROTTLE WAS FULL FOWARD AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL RICH. THE PILOT HAD REDUCED POWER ON THE DOWWIND LEG AND REAPPLIED IT ON FINAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE RWY.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
Contributing Factors
TERRAIN CONDITION..DIRT BANK/RISING EMBANKMENTTERRAIN CONDITION..DIRT BANK/RISING EMBANKMENT
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