20021012031039I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Amtr SA7D · Dixie, GA · October 12, 2002

Date: October 12, 2002 · 17:00 local
Place: Dixie, GA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N9428H
Reported as: Amtr SA7D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 320 total20 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

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.

(-23) On October 12, 2002 at approximately 1700 hrs while the pilot of N9428H, (an amateur built stits skycoupe), Mr. Walter coppen, certificate no. 65942613, made a precautionary landing in a field off of simmon hill rd in Dixie, GA. Fifteen minutes after departing thomasville airfield (tvl) while flying at 1500 feet on a sw heading towards jacksonville, GA he noticed a drop in oil pressure as well as a rise in oil temperature. He then executed a 180 degree turn in an attempt to land at quitman, GA but was unable to locate the field and continued on a heading toward tvl. At this point it became apparent the aircraft was losing power so he located a field for landing where upon rollout the nose wheel dug into the freshly plowed ground and collapsed. Damage to the aircraft was restricted to gear, cowling, and left struts and there was no damage to the owners field or crops. A police report was filed with the brooks county sheriff - see case #02100430.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 12, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 HRS WHILE THE PILOT OF N9428H, (AN AMATEUR BUILT STITS SKYCOUPE), MR. WALTER COPPEN, CERTIFICATE NO. 65942613, MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD OFF OF SIMMON HILL RD IN DIXIE, GA. FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING THOMASVILLE AIRFIELD (TVL) WHILE FLYING AT 1500 FEET ON A SW HEADING TOWARDS JACKSONVILLE, GA HE NOTICED A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE AS WELL AS A RISE IN OIL TEMPERATURE. HE THEN EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT QUITMAN, GA BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FIELD AND CONTINUED ON A HEADING TOWARD TVL. AT THIS POINT IT BECAME APPARENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING POWER SO HE LOCATED A FIELD FOR LANDING WHERE UPON ROLLOUT THE NOSE WHEEL DUG INTO THE FRESHLY PLOWED GROUND AND COLLAPSED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS RESTRICTED TO GEAR, COWLING, AND LEFT STRUTS AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE OWNERS FIELD OR CROPS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE BROOKS COUNTY SHERIFF - SEE CASE #02100430.