What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(Tty) experi acft was on a maintenance flight when it crashed under unknown cir, 2 POB suffered fatal inj. Siloam Springs, AR. (.4)the amateur-built experimental quickie airplane, occupied by a commercial pilot and a pilot-rated passenger, who were the co-owners/builders of the airplane, impacted the ground in a steep left bank during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. Disassembly of the engine revealed that six cylinder head hold-down nuts were loose, and combustion gases had been leaking between the cylinder heads and the barrels of the #2, #3, and #4 cylinders. The escaping gases cut a passage about 3/4 inch in diameter through the #4 cylinder head, resulting in the partial loss of engine power. Maintenance records indicated new cylinder heads were installed 33 hours before the accident in may 1997. A condition inspection of the airplane, which would have included a cylinder compression check, was due in November 1997, but had not been performed. According to a family member, the two owners were in the process of performing a condition inspection on the day of the accident; however, neither owner held a repairman certificate f or the airplane or was a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic. (-23) see narrative #FTW98FA186
As the FAA filed it
(TTY) EXPERI ACFT WAS ON A MAINTENANCE FLIGHT WHEN IT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIR, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. SILOAM SPRINGS, AR. (.4)THE AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL QUICKIE AIRPLANE, OCCUPIED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, WHO WERE THE CO-OWNERS/BUILDERS OF THE AIRPLANE, IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP LEFT BANK DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT SIX CYLINDER HEAD HOLD-DOWN NUTS WERE LOOSE, AND COMBUSTION GASES HAD BEEN LEAKING BETWEEN THE CYLINDER HEADS AND THE BARRELS OF THE #2, #3, AND #4 CYLINDERS. THE ESCAPING GASES CUT A PASSAGE ABOUT 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER THROUGH THE #4 CYLINDER HEAD, RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED NEW CYLINDER HEADS WERE INSTALLED 33 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT IN MAY 1997. A CONDITION INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WOULD HAVE INCLUDED A CYLINDER COMPRESSION CHECK, WAS DUE IN NOVEMBER 1997, BUT HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. ACCORDING TO A FAMILY MEMBER, THE TWO OWNERS WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PERFORMING A CONDITION INSPECTION ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, NEITHER OWNER HELD A REPAIRMAN CERTIFICATE F OR THE AIRPLANE OR WAS A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW98FA186
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.