# Accident 20010828024229A: Amtr RANSS7, Fruita, CO, August 28, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 28, 2001, 13:30 local time - Place: Fruita, CO - Airport: Private - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.2225° N, 108.7314° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2225&lon=-108.7314&mi=10 - Aircraft: N91642, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N91642) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bradley Jack E RANS S-7 (registry code 05611K6, https://openairdocs.org/model/bradley-jack-e-rans-s-7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER (registry code 55555, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RANSS7 - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 4 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN01LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA153) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010828024229A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) PILOT TOOK OFF EAST BOUND FROM PRIVATE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NO PRODUCING FULL POWER AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT CEASED TO CLIMB. PILOT MADE SLIGHT TURN TO THE NORTHEAST TO PROCEED TO AN OPEN FIELD, AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SLOWLY LOSE POWER, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH GLIDER TO MAKE SUITABLE LANDING AREA BUT APPROACHED STALL SO HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO REGAIN AIRSPEED AND LANDED SHORT OF DESIRED AREA. LANDING HARD COLLAPSING LANDING GEAR, DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING, DAMAGE TO PROPELLER, BROKE CROSS SUPPORTS IN MID SECTION OF FUSELAGE BY PILOTS SEAT, BROKE DIAGONAL TUBES BEHIND WIND SCREEN IN COCKPIT, PUSHED TAIL WHEEL OUT OF POSITION, AND DAMAGE TO HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. (.19) ON AUGUST 28, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BRADLEY RANS S-7 HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N91642, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR FRUITA, COLORADO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED. A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL TEST FLIGHT THAT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE STRETCHED THE GLIDE BECAUSE OF AN IRRIGATION DITCH. THE AIRPLANE MUSHED TO THE GROUND, AND THE FUSELAGE WAS TWISTED. (.4) ON AUGUST 28, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1340 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BRADLEY RANS S-7 HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N91642, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR FRUITA, COLORADO. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED. A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL TEST FLIGHT THAT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF (APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND), THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE LOST THE ABILITY TO CLIMB AT ABOUT 60 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT SAID THERE WAS A FENCE AND A BARN DIRECTLY IN HIS FLIGHT PATH; HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT TOWARD AN ALFALFA FIELD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE EN GINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AND ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER FAILED. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO LOSE AIRSPEED UNTIL THE ONSET OF A STALL. THE PILOT REDUCED THE AIRPLANE'S ANGLE OF ATTACK SO THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT STALL. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE GROUND WITH ITS RIGHT WING FIRST, THEN ROTATED UNTIL ITS HEADING WAS 180 DEGREES FROM ITS FLIGHT PATH, SUBSEQUENTLY COMING TO REST AGAINST A FENCE. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE MOUNT, BOTH WINGS, AND THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WERE BENT, AND THE FUSELAGE WAS WRINKLED. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE TWO CYLINDER ENGINE BY THE PILOT REVEALED THAT BOTH PISTON RINGS HAD FAILED. THE OWNER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT OPERATION TIME. ## 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 DEN01LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA153), Aug 28, 2001: Bradley Rans S-7 (N91642), Fruita, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: loss of engine power due to both piston rings failing, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/spin during the attempted forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a… 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.