# Accident 19990218045829A: Amtr EDGE540, Livermore, CA, February 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 1999, 16:40 local time
- Place: Livermore, CA
- Airport: Livermore Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.6808° N, 121.7503° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6808&lon=-121.7503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9ND, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9ND-2022-03-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Zivko Aeronautics EDGE 540 (registry code 056037G, https://openairdocs.org/model/zivko-aeronautics-edge-540) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 series (registry code 41568, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR EDGE540
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990218045829A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX99LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA103), Feb 19, 1999: Zivko Aeronautics Edge 540 (N9ND), Livermore, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

## Other reports on N9ND (1)

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

- [Incident 20120217002429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120217002429I), Feb 17, 2012: Zivko Aeronautics Inc EDGE 540 (N9ND), Crows Landing, CA, Minor damage. While 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…

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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