19990430004399A

Acft engine failed, and the pilot made an emergency landing at the arpt, the acft slid off the end of the rwy, went through a fence, and came to rest on a highway, other circumstances are unknown. (From .19) on April 30, 1999, at 1005 hours pacific daylight time, an experimental massey super stallion, N6143E, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during a forced landing at Shafter-Minter field, Shafter, California. The aircraft was being operated by its owners under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 as a test flight. This was the second flight on the aircraft since it's completion, and its purpose was to continue flight-testing and evaluation. The flight departed Shafter-Minter field 15 minutes prior to the mishap. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The builder and co-owner stated the aircraft was completed April 27, 1999. Its first flight was conducted on April 29, 1999, and lasted 20 minutes. The aircraft flew its next flight the morning of the accident. At the completion of this flight, which lasted approx. 20 minutes, the acft was inspected prior t o another launch. Ground crews observing the acft during takeoff requested the pilot fly by so they could get a look at the landing gear. After approx. 15 minutes of flying the pilot returned. The builder said the aircraft sounded good as it was coming by and he did not hear the engine sound change during the accident sequence. He saw the gear coming down and the acft seemed like it was going too fast for landing. He noted the acft touched down near the departure end of runway 34, overran the end, and collided with terrain. The pilot told a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector that, as he approached the runway at 400 feet, he was maintaining 140 knots with the gear up when the engine quit. He placed the electric fuel pump switch to high and the engine did not respond. He placed the mixture and throttle forward and still did not notice an engine response. At 100 feet and over the runway, the pilot lowered the landing gear. He landed past midfield and continued off the end of the runway, through a fence, and onto a road. The engine is a new teledyne Continental motors TIO-550. The builder stated he had run the engine several times for a cumulative time of appro ximately 1-hour on the ground prior to the first flight. An FAA inspector inspected the aircraft and verified that fuel was found to the mechanical fuel pump, the vent was open, and the bottom six spark plugs sparked with crankshaft rotation. The pilot stated to the inspector that on the previous flight he had switched tanks. The inspector also noted that there was a small amount of material on the fuel strainer screen. (-23)pilot was in the first hour of the 25 hour proving flight for amateur built aircraft. While attempting a low pass, engine quit on short final. Pilot attempted to trouble shoot. By the time he focused on landing, he landed near the end of RW34, departed the runway and struck an airport fence, causing structural damage to the aircraft. When the landing gear was repaired and a new prop installed, the engine performed correctly. Witnesses stated that the aircraft engine was running at midfield but pilot denied this. (.4)the airplane was on its third test flight since completion. Ground crews observing the airplane during takeoff thought a landing gear door did not close properly and requested a fly-by for a visual inspection. Although instructed several times that a low pass was not necessary, the pilot stated his intention to do a low pass. The pilot stated he was 400 feet above the ground at 140 knots when he turned onto final, and then the engine quit prior to crossing the approach end of the runway. He attempted to restart the engine by turning on the electric fuel pump and moving the throttle and mixture controls in and out, but was unsuccessful. He lowered the landing gear and attempted to land straight ahead. He touched down near the FAR end of the runway at 100 knots, then proceeded off the end of the runway into a fence. Witnesses heard the engine at a normal high power setting until an abrupt reduction and a pop sound occurred just as the landing gear was lowered. The factory new engine was found with fuel through the system from the tanks to the mechanical fuel pump, and the fuel tank vent line was open. When the engine was subsequently tested, it started without difficulty. During a run-up, magnetos were checked and the propeller was cycled. All engine parameters were within the manufacturer's recommended limits.