# Accident 19980511014289A: Amtr AVIDFLYER, Elberton, GA, May 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 1998, 18:30 local time
- Place: Elberton, GA
- Airport: Elbert County-Patz Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1004° N, 82.8607° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1004&lon=-82.8607&mi=10
- Aircraft: N117DK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N117DK-2015-05-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcelhannon David Fayette AVID MK IV SPEEDWING (registry code 056045U, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcelhannon-david-fayette-avid-mk-iv-speedwing) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR AVIDFLYER
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 526 total, 6 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA158) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980511014289A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER ON CLIMBOUT. LANDED IN TALL HAYFIELD.  NOSED OVER.  NON CERTIFIED ENGINE IN HOMEBUILT.   (.4)ON CLIMBOUT, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS THAT WOULD NOT SUSTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE IN A HAY FIELD.  THE DENSE GROWTH OF THE GRASS AND THE UPSLOPE OF THE TERRAIN CAUSED THE PILOT TO MISJUDGE HIE FLARE, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A HARD TOUCHDOWN AND NOSE-OVER.                                         (-23) PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED ELBERTON, GA, ENROUTE VFR TO ATHENS, GEORGIA WHEN AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. PILOT LANDED INTO A HAYFIELD BUT THE HAY WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET HIGH AND THE FIELD WAS OF ROLLING TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF RAISING TERRAIN AND IN DEEP GRASS. THE LANDING WAS VERY SHORT AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT OVER ON ITS BACK. NO FIRE.

## 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 MIA98LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA158), May 11, 1998: David McElhannon Avid MK. 4 (N117DK), Elberton, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to a failed combustion assembly, expansion seal.

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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