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19971122034299A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr RANS S-9 · Phoenix, AZ · November 22, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 22, 1997 · 11:02 local
Place
Phoenix, AZ
Airport
Pinnacle Peak
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9291T
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98LA041
Reported as
Amtr RANSS9
Reported engine
ROTAX ROTAX503
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
441 total1 in the last 90 days
N9291TRegistration cancelled Mar 1, 2001 · Davis Philip K RANS S-9S/N 0695139Airframe modelDavis Philip K RANS S-9

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft collided onto road after loss of engine power. (From .4) the aircraft was on its initial test flight following construction and certification. Following takeoff, the pilot flew for nearly an hour while exploring the handling qualities of the aircraft. After returning to the airport, the pilot made a pass over the airstrip to check controllability in the landing configuration. In his statement he reported that in initiating the missed approach he 'applied full power and pulled to 55 IAS and 2.5G'S at 300 feet AGL . . .(then) I pushed over and reduced to 5000 RPM.' At this point, the pilot noticed a loss of RPM, followed 5 seconds later by a complete loss of engine power. He turned toward a landing site, and at 10 feet AGL started to flare for touchdown. The pilot stated that the airplane was not flying and he had no control of the aircraft. The aircraft touched down hard on a dirt road. The pilot reported that the engine was free to rotate, with no evidence of internal failure. He believes the loss of power was due to a fuel system vent blockage.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT COLLIDED ONTO ROAD AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. (FROM .4) THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS INITIAL TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION AND CERTIFICATION. FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT FLEW FOR NEARLY AN HOUR WHILE EXPLORING THE HANDLING QUALITIES OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT MADE A PASS OVER THE AIRSTRIP TO CHECK CONTROLLABILITY IN THE LANDING CONFIGURATION. IN HIS STATEMENT HE REPORTED THAT IN INITIATING THE MISSED APPROACH HE 'APPLIED FULL POWER AND PULLED TO 55 IAS AND 2.5G'S AT 300 FEET AGL . . .(THEN) I PUSHED OVER AND REDUCED TO 5000 RPM.' AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT NOTICED A LOSS OF RPM, FOLLOWED 5 SECONDS LATER BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE TURNED TOWARD A LANDING SITE, AND AT 10 FEET AGL STARTED TO FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT FLYING AND HE HAD NO CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON A DIRT ROAD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS FREE TO ROTATE, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL FAILURE. HE BELIEVES THE LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO A FUEL SYSTEM VENT BLOCKAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98LA041Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPhoenix, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin during the forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.Nov 22, 1997 · Substantial damage