# Accident 20010303003419A: Amtr RANSS12, Ramona, CA, March 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 3, 2001, 09:30 local time
- Place: Ramona, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.0700° N, 116.8291° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0700&lon=-116.8291&mi=10
- Aircraft: N12FC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N12FC-2013-05-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Christian Fred M RANS S 12 (registry code 05606NB, https://openairdocs.org/model/christian-fred-m-rans-s-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RANSS12
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 150 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010303003419A

## Narrative

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

(-19) ON MARCH 3, 2001, AT 0930 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL CHRISTIAN RANS S-12, N12FC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A RAVINE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER APPROX. 4 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF THE RAMONA, CA., AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BARONA, AN UNCHARTERED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AT 0915, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL CANYON, OR RAVINE AREA, AND WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A SINGLE TREE THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE CENTER OF THE RAVINE. (-23) WHILE OPERATING UNDER VMC DURING A LOCAL PILOT PROFICIENCY FLIGHT THE PILOT STATED THE A/C LOST POWER. DURING THE EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT LANDING THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A TREE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM. THE A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT BELIEVES THAT A CYLINDER MAY HAVE LOST COMPRESSION DUE TO PISTON RING FAILURE, AN M OR D FORM WILL FOLLOW.                                                                                 (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL CANYON, OR RAVINE AREA, AND WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A SINGLE TREE THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE CENTER OF THE RAVINE. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TREE AND THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT WHEN IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT, WHO IS ALSO THE BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE, INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 1 PISTON ROD ATTACH POINT. THE ENGINE HAD OIL AND NO OTHER ANOMALIES WERE OBSERVED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED 20 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ENGINE STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIFE FOR THIS MODEL IS 300 HOURS OR 5 YEARS. THE ENGINE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS MANUFACTURED ON MARCH 10, 1991. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY HAVE NO SERVICE HISTORY OF CRANKSHAFT FAILURES IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL ENGINE. THE CRANKSHAFT IS REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED AT EACH OVERHAUL. THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED AT A FACILITY THAT ONLY PROVIDES ENGINES FOR ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER OF THE FACILITY STATED THAT HE DOES NOT APPROVE OF THE USE OF HIS ENGINES IN CERTIFIED AIRPLANES. HE SAID HE RECALLED OVERHAULING THIS ENGINE BUT COULD NOT REMEMBER THE DATE, AND DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION.

## 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 LAX01LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA107), Mar 3, 2001: Christian Rans S-12 (N12FC), Ramona, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight failure of the engine crankshaft for undetermined reasons.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.