20030901035599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Midland, VA · September 1, 2003

Date: September 1, 2003 · 18:29 local
Place: Midland, VA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7615Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC03LA187
Reported as: Piper PA18150
Reported engine: Lycoming IO320A2B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total90 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

N7615ZRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-8398 · Built 1966 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

(-23) After departing horse feathers airport (53VA), while in cruise flight, the engine lost power. As the pilot realized that a landing at the airport would not be possible, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft in an open field approximately 2 miles from the airport. During the landing rollout, the aircraft struck a gopher hole and flipped the aircraft on its back. On-site evaluation revealed substantial damage to both wing struts, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. It was determined on-site that the aircraft had adequate fuel on-board. There was no noticable damage to the propeller, indicating inflight engine stoppage. The engine was sent to executive air services, hagarstown, MN for evaluation. Engine teardown inspection did not reveal any noticable damage. Therefore, the actual cause for loss of power to the engine cannot be determined.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER DEPARTING HORSE FEATHERS AIRPORT (53VA), WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AS THE PILOT REALIZED THAT A LANDING AT THE AIRPORT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A GOPHER HOLE AND FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT ON ITS BACK. ON-SITE EVALUATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WING STRUTS, THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, AND THE RUDDER. IT WAS DETERMINED ON-SITE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE FUEL ON-BOARD. THERE WAS NO NOTICABLE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, INDICATING INFLIGHT ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE ENGINE WAS SENT TO EXECUTIVE AIR SERVICES, HAGARSTOWN, MN FOR EVALUATION. ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY NOTICABLE DAMAGE. THEREFORE, THE ACTUAL CAUSE FOR LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.

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 NYC03LA187Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMidland, VALoss of engine power due to unknown circumstances.Sep 1, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7615Z · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19860304011909ILevel Off Touchdown · Spanish Fork, UTBounced on landing, loss of directional control followed. Aircraft ground looped.Mar 4, 1986 · Minor damage Accident 19820503013929ATakeoff Ground Roll · Marfa, TXInstructor claims he could not overpower student during takeoff, aircraft ran through fence at end of runway.May 3, 1982 · Substantial damage