OpenAirDocs.org

20021123034899A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Amtr Velocity · Claflin, KS · November 23, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 23, 2002 · 16:10 local
Place
Claflin, KS
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N241KW
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03LA028
Reported as
Amtr Velocity

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 the third flight of the day, at approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the aircraft was observed having higher than normal oil temperature. Due to the ellsworth correctional facility being directly south of runway 17 the PIC decided to head for great bend, KS. At approximately 4 miles south and 1 mile west of Claflin, KS the engine just quit at approximately 800' AGL. The PIC had to make a quick decision to land on the highway that had two visible automobiles traveling on it or gear up in a field. The pilot landed in a field. Substantial damage occured to the canard wing, belly and left vertical stabilizer and rudder. On post inspection indicated a failed exhaust system, allowing hot exhaust gas to be emitted into the engine compartment and directly onto the engine block assy. Mr. Keith holms of power support, that sells the mazda rotary engine conversion, came to do a post inspection. It is suspected that the engine quit due to vaporization of the fuel due to the broken exhaust and excessive temperatures.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON THE THIRD FLIGHT OF THE DAY, AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED HAVING HIGHER THAN NORMAL OIL TEMPERATURE. DUE TO THE ELLSWORTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BEING DIRECTLY SOUTH OF RUNWAY 17 THE PIC DECIDED TO HEAD FOR GREAT BEND, KS. AT APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES SOUTH AND 1 MILE WEST OF CLAFLIN, KS THE ENGINE JUST QUIT AT APPROXIMATELY 800' AGL. THE PIC HAD TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY THAT HAD TWO VISIBLE AUTOMOBILES TRAVELING ON IT OR GEAR UP IN A FIELD. THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURED TO THE CANARD WING, BELLY AND LEFT VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER. ON POST INSPECTION INDICATED A FAILED EXHAUST SYSTEM, ALLOWING HOT EXHAUST GAS TO BE EMITTED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK ASSY. MR. KEITH HOLMS OF POWER SUPPORT, THAT SELLS THE MAZDA ROTARY ENGINE CONVERSION, CAME TO DO A POST INSPECTION. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO VAPORIZATION OF THE FUEL DUE TO THE BROKEN EXHAUST AND EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES.

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 CHI03LA028Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportClaflin, KSThe total loss of engine power while in cruise flight due to vapor lock of the fuel line as a result of the fractured exhaust manifold. A factor was the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.Nov 23, 2002 · Substantial damage