Primary finding
Probable cause
Maintenance personnel's failure to properly secure the fuel line from the fuel pump to the fuel injector during the engine installation, which resulted in a complete engine failure.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, he completed a preflight inspection and did not notice any problems with the airplane. The takeoff and climb to 5500 feet were reported as normal, but 30 minutes into the flight the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine power. The emergency procedure to restore engine power failed, therefore the pilot established an emergency descent for a forced landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the forced landing. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the fuel line between the fuel pump and fuel injector had separated at the fuel injector. The maintenance log review disclosed that the airplane had undergone a 100 hour inspection and an engine installation 5 hours prior to the accident. No other maintenance problems were noted during the examination.
Source record
Factual narrative
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