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19990218045829A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr EDGE 540 · Livermore, CA · February 18, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 18, 1999 · 16:40 local
Place
Livermore, CA
Airport
Livermore Municipal Airport
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N9ND
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX99LA103
Reported as
Amtr EDGE540
N9NDRegistration cancelled Mar 2, 2022 · Zivko Aeronautics EDGE 540S/N 0020 · Built 1998Airframe modelZivko Aeronautics EDGE 540Engine modelLycoming AEIO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23)On February 2, 1999 at approximately 1640HRS PDT, an experimental zivko aeronautics edge 540 airplane, N9ND, landed in soft muddy terrain near Livermore, CA., following loss of engine power. Sustantial damage was sustained by the aircraft, however, the pilot, norman dewitte ofprivacy data omitted was uninjured. Mr. Diwitte holds a commerical pilot rating, and is president of dewitte air shows, inc. interviewed by telephone 1 day after the accident, the pilot reported he was in normal cruise in VMC conditions, when the Lycoming aeio-540-EXP engine began to over speed. The pilot said a roughness, which progressively worsened, was associated with the overspeed event. He stated he was unable to regain control of the engine, and initiated a power-off forced landing to a clear area next to a highway. The landing gear was torn out of the structure upon landing. Initial external examination of the engine by an FAA airworthiness inspector disclosed cracks across the rear of the engine case. Engine subsequently removed for teardown inspection.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)ON FEBRUARY 2, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 1640HRS PDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL ZIVKO AERONAUTICS EDGE 540 AIRPLANE, N9ND, LANDED IN SOFT MUDDY TERRAIN NEAR LIVERMORE, CA., FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE AIRCRAFT, HOWEVER, THE PILOT, NORMAN DEWITTE OF^PRIVACY DATA^ WAS UNINJURED. MR. DIWITTE HOLDS A COMMERICAL PILOT RATING, AND IS PRESIDENT OF DEWITTE AIR SHOWS, INC. INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE 1 DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS IN NORMAL CRUISE IN VMC CONDITIONS, WHEN THE LYCOMING AEIO-540-EXP ENGINE BEGAN TO OVER SPEED. THE PILOT SAID A ROUGHNESS, WHICH PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED, WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OVERSPEED EVENT. HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE ENGINE, AND INITIATED A POWER-OFF FORCED LANDING TO A CLEAR AREA NEXT TO A HIGHWAY. THE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OUT OF THE STRUCTURE UPON LANDING. INITIAL EXTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR DISCLOSED CRACKS ACROSS THE REAR OF THE ENGINE CASE. ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED FOR TEARDOWN INSPECTION.

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 LAX99LA103Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLivermore, CAThe manufacturer's inadequate quality control procedures, which allowed an improperly manufactured crankshaft to be shipped, resulting in the separation of one counterweight from the crankshaft lug and the subsequent catastrophic internal failure of the…Feb 19, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9ND · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20120217002429ICruise/Level Flight · Crows Landing, CAWhile enroute from 0Q4 to sql at appox 4500 MSL (operating under VFR rules, under VMC conditions) and just passing the 3O1 airport, the pilot noted engine oil streaking on the lower fuselage observation window. Within minutes, the engine oil streaking became…Feb 17, 2012 · Minor damage