What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 9, 2000, at 1530 hours pacific daylight time, an experimental interavia E-3, N4426X, made a forced landing after losing engine power while practicing aerobatics near Watsonville, CA. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when the landing gear collapsed in soil during the forced landing. The pilot stated that he was doing aerobatic maneuvers and might have unported the fuel tank pickup. He was able to restart the engine briefly before the engine quit again. When the engine failed to restart a second time, he was forced to make a power-off, forced landing in a pasture. Upon landing, the gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded approximately 80 feet on its belly. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 9, 2000, AT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL INTERAVIA E-3, N4426X, MADE A FORCED LANDING AFTER LOSING ENGINE POWER WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATICS NEAR WATSONVILLE, CA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED IN SOIL DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DOING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AND MIGHT HAVE UNPORTED THE FUEL TANK PICKUP. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE BRIEFLY BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART A SECOND TIME, HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE A POWER-OFF, FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE. UPON LANDING, THE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET ON ITS BELLY. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4426X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.