# Accident 19971122034299A: Amtr RANSS9, Phoenix, AZ, November 22, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 22, 1997, 11:02 local time
- Place: Phoenix, AZ
- Airport: Pinnacle Peak
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4892° N, 111.9193° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4892&lon=-111.9193&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9291T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9291T-2001-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Davis Philip K RANS S-9 (registry code 05601L8, https://openairdocs.org/model/davis-philip-k-rans-s-9) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RANSS9
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 441 total, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA041) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971122034299A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA041), Nov 22, 1997: Rans S91 (N9291T), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin during the forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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