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20000622041279A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr Avidamphibia · Fredericksburg, VA · June 22, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 22, 2000 · 15:30 local
Place
Fredericksburg, VA
Airport
Shannon Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N61HS
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC00LA176
Reported as
Amtr Avidamphibia
Reported engine
AMTR GT1000
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
5,015 total271 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N61HSRegistration cancelled Feb 18, 2004 · Schwarz Henry E AVID AMPHIBIANS/N 115A · Built 1992Airframe modelSchwarz Henry E AVID AMPHIBIANEngine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

(.4) The pilot adjusted the homebuilt airplane's propeller pitch and after a normal ground run-up he departed for a test flight. He stated that the takeoff was normal and the engine sounded 'smooth.' After reaching an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet (AGL), the airplane experienced a sharp reduction in power. The RPM dropped from 6,600 to 5,700; however, the engine sound remained constant. The pilot retarded the throttle and then advanced the throttle forward. The engine RPM increased momentarily then dropped to about 5,000 RPM. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and performed a forced landing to a cornfield. Examination of the airplane did not revealed any catastrophic airframe or engine malfunctions. Additionally, the airplane's engine ran smoothly during a post accident test run performed by the pilot; however, examination of the propeller reduction gearbox revealed that the steel cage of the sprague clutch bearing was 'cracked and partially disintegrated.' (-23) pilot made a precautionary landing in a corn field after the engine lost power and the aircraft could not maintain altitude.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE'S PROPELLER PITCH AND AFTER A NORMAL GROUND RUN-UP HE DEPARTED FOR A TEST FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED 'SMOOTH.' AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 TO 400 FEET (AGL), THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A SHARP REDUCTION IN POWER. THE RPM DROPPED FROM 6,600 TO 5,700; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SOUND REMAINED CONSTANT. THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND THEN ADVANCED THE THROTTLE FORWARD. THE ENGINE RPM INCREASED MOMENTARILY THEN DROPPED TO ABOUT 5,000 RPM. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A CORNFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REVEALED ANY CATASTROPHIC AIRFRAME OR ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY DURING A POST ACCIDENT TEST RUN PERFORMED BY THE PILOT; HOWEVER, EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REDUCTION GEARBOX REVEALED THAT THE STEEL CAGE OF THE SPRAGUE CLUTCH BEARING WAS 'CRACKED AND PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED.' (-23) PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

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 NYC00LA176Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFredericksburg, VAA failure of the propeller reduction gear assembly for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a loss of thrust.Jun 22, 2000 · Substantial damage