# Accident 19980417016099A: Amtr SONERAI2L, Bicknell, IN, April 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 17, 1998, 15:45 local time - Place: Bicknell, IN - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.7697° N, 87.3003° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7697&lon=-87.3003&mi=10 - Aircraft: N247RJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N247RJ-2001-04-09) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Jaeger Robert G SONERAI II L (registry code 056592T, https://openairdocs.org/model/jaeger-robert-g-sonerai-ii-l) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR SONERAI2L - Reported engine: AMTRVW VW2200 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 460 total, 176 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA128) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980417016099A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE PILOT SAID HE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AFTER HE HAD OPERATED THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE'S AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP. HE SAID HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY CHANGES IN THE ENGINE INDICATIONS. HE SAID, 'APPROXIMATELY 1-MINUTE LATER I NOTICED THE REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER... .' HE SAID HE DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD. WHEN THE PILOT REDUCED THE ENGINE'S POWER SETTING, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE '...BUILT UP EXCESSIVE SPEED...' DURING ITS DESCENT. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED GROUND AFFECT AND DID NOT TOUCH DOWN AS THE PILOT HAD INTENDED. WHILE IN GROUND AFFECT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AND BRIDGE FRAME BEFORE COLLIDING WITH A DITCH AND COMING TO REST. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE DRIVEN MAGNETO EXPERIENCED A DRIVE COUPLING FAILURE. THE COUPLING HAD FRACTURED INTO 4 PIECES. ONE FACE ON TWO OF THE FOUR PIECES HAD A SURFACE WITH BEACH MARKS ON THEM AND NO SHEAR LIPS ALONG THEIR EDGES. THESE TWO FACES MATCHED EACH OTHER. THE REMAINING FRACTURE SURFACES HAD A COARSE TEXTURE WITH SHEAR LIPS ALONG THEIR EDGES. (-23) THE SONERAI PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN ELECTRICAL POLE, TURNED SLIGHTLY LEFT AND IMPACTED A BRIDGE RAIL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID INTO A DITCH AND OVERTURNED. THE CAST ALUMINUM DRIVE COLLAR/COUPLING KEYED TO THE FLYWHEEL AND DRIVES THE MAGNETO, CRACKED APART. THE FRICTION AND HEAT FUSED THIS TO A STATIONARY CROSS ENGINE MOUNT. ## 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 CHI98LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA128), Apr 17, 1998: Jaeger Sonerai II-L (N247RJ), Bicknell, IN, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot misjudged his altitude and airspeed during an emergency landing attempt. Factors associated with this accident were a manufacturing defect in the magneto drive coupling and a total failure… ## Other reports on N247RJ (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19930606022899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930606022899A), Jun 6, 1993: Amtrmo SONERAI2 (N247RJ), Dekalb, IL, Substantial damage. Lost directional control on takeoff. Wing struck runway light. Aborted. Found left aileron disconnected. - [Incident 19890929058359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890929058359I), Sep 29, 1989: Amtrmo SONERAI2 (N247RJ), West Chicago, IL. Engine lost power on climb. Elected to land off airport when unable to maintain altitude. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.