19990522023909A

(.19) On may 22, 1999, at 1450 eastern daylight time, a robert w. farrell, titan tornado ii, N624RF, collided with a telephone pole and a mailbox during an emergency landing on a road near Ashboro, north carolina after an engine failure. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the private pilot was not injured. The flight departed greenville, south carolina, at 1300 eastern daylight time. The pilot reported that liberty, north carolina, was the flight's destination. The pilot stated that approximately 24 miles from his destination, he noticed an area of thunderstorm activity between his position and his destination. At that point, the pilot reversed course and elected to land at an airport that he had flown over moments before. After the pilot executed an 180-degree turn, the engine lost power. The pilot decided to attempt an emergency landing on a nearby paved road. During landing, according to the pilot, he applied full brakes and tried to stop the airplane before coming to a sharp c urve in the road. The pilot stated that he "dropped a wheel off to the right of the road, hoping to slow down in the grass." The airplane subsequently departed the road, colliding with a telephone pole and a mailbox, and rolled over on its left side. (.4) the pilot stated that approximately 24 miles from his destination, he noticed an area of thunderstorm activity between his position and his destination. The pilot reversed course and elected to land at an airport that he had flown over moments before. During the course reversal the engine lost power. The airplane collided with a utility pole and a mail as the pilot attempted an emergency landing on a nearby paved road. The post-accident examination of the airplane and the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical problem. During the engine examination, fuel was traced from the fuel tank to the carburetor. Several gallons of aviation fuel were recovered from the fuel system. The internal examination of the engine disclosed that the piston tops were clean, and a film of engine oil was on the cylinder walls. Engine drive train rotation was also established. A review of weather data disclosed that weather conditions were favo rable for the formation of carburetor ice. (-23)pilot stated that he saw some weather in front of him and called flight watch & decided to turn around and land at asheboro to wait out the storm. During the turn the engine quit. Pilot landed on a road, but ran off of straight road. When approaching the curve in the road, pilot let right wheel leave hard surface causing aircraft to pull itself into a ditch. Aircraft came in contact with a telephone pole and spun around causing the fuselage to roll over on it's side. No injuries.