LAX84FA028

Factual narrative

THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS ON TAKEOFF & WAS DEMOLISHED IN THE IMPACT SEQUENCE & POST CRASH FIRE. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL INTERVIEWEES THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED EXTENSIVE NON-STC'D MODIFICATIONS TO THE ACFT INCLUDING THE FUEL SYSTEM.AN 'AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE COMPUTER' REQUIRING A FUEL FLOW TRANSDUCER WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, WOULD NOT WORK ON A GRAVITY FED SYSTEM. A FUEL PUMP FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FUEL TRANSFER DUMP DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE OUTPUT FLOW TO ZERO AT ITS MAXIMUM OUTPUT LINE PRESSURE OF 4.5 PSI. THE TRANSDUCER WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE FUEL OUTPUT FLOW TO A 'TRICKLE'. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12