20020821022349A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr RV-4 · Tehachapi, CA · August 21, 2002

Date: August 21, 2002 · 13:59 local
Place: Tehachapi, CA
Airport: Tehachapi Municipal Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N62VR
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX02LA256
Reported as: Amtr RV4
Fatal injuries: 0

N62VRRegistration cancelled Jun 20, 2017 · Dodd Lee P JR RV-4S/N 1051 · Built 2002 Airframe modelDodd Lee P JR RV-4 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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.

(.19) On August 21, 2002, at 1359 pacific daylight time, an experimental dodd RV-4 airplane, N62VR, lost engine power during the initial climb-out from the Tehachapi Municipal Airport (tsp), Tehachapi, California, made a forced landing in a field, and came to rest inverted. The airplane, operated by the owner/builder under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91, sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area test flight. A flight plan had not been filed. (-23) amateur homebuilt experimental RV-4 on inital test flight lost power and made forced landing off airport. Crashed and came to rest inverted. Subsequent investigation revealed that a fuel line manufactured by the builder had cracked and failed at its attach point. The resulting fuel leak caused the engine to quit due to fuel starvation. See attached documents for additional information.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON AUGUST 21, 2002, AT 1359 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL DODD RV-4 AIRPLANE, N62VR, LOST ENGINE POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB-OUT FROM THE TEHACHAPI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (TSP), TEHACHAPI, CALIFORNIA, MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY THE OWNER/BUILDER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA TEST FLIGHT. A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED. (-23) AMATEUR HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL RV-4 ON INITAL TEST FLIGHT LOST POWER AND MADE FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT. CRASHED AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A FUEL LINE MANUFACTURED BY THE BUILDER HAD CRACKED AND FAILED AT ITS ATTACH POINT. THE RESULTING FUEL LEAK CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

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 LAX02LA256Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTehachapi, CAthe owner/builder's improperly fabricated and installed fuel line, which cracked at the point of the flare, resulting in a fuel leak and loss of engine power during the takeoff climb. A contributing factor was the soft terrain that jammed the landing gear…Aug 21, 2002 · Substantial damage