20040526009579A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Kauffm BEDE IV · Traverse City, MI · May 26, 2004

Date: May 26, 2004 · 19:50 local
Place: Traverse City, MI
Airport: Cherry Capital
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N115PK
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04CA142
Reported as: Kauffm Bedeiv
Reported engine: Lycoming O320D2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,630 total200 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N115PKRegistration cancelled Jun 12, 2006 · Kauffman BEDE IVS/N 115 · Built 1985 Airframe modelKauffman BEDE IV Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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) Pilot departed runway 10 at tvc airport on 5-26-04. While climbing and turning left the pilot reported that he started to lose power and could not maintain altitude. Pilot hit the water about 200' off shore in about 3' or 4' of water. Aircraft flipped over with engine in water. Upon looking at the aircraft it was found: top tanks had fuel, engine was leaking oil along the pilot's side of the aircraft (appeared to be caused in-flight) but still had what appeared to be oil in case, props showed slight bending (low power when hit water), engine was separated from engine mount after hitting sand bottom. When inspecting of engine and lines it was found that a fuel line nut was only hand tight. Also fuel and oil lines were separated from engine. Engine teardown showed signs of oil starvation and catastrophic failures. Oil leak from location unknown.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 10 AT TVC AIRPORT ON 5-26-04. WHILE CLIMBING AND TURNING LEFT THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. PILOT HIT THE WATER ABOUT 200' OFF SHORE IN ABOUT 3' OR 4' OF WATER. AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER WITH ENGINE IN WATER. UPON LOOKING AT THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS FOUND: TOP TANKS HAD FUEL, ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL ALONG THE PILOT'S SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT (APPEARED TO BE CAUSED IN-FLIGHT) BUT STILL HAD WHAT APPEARED TO BE OIL IN CASE, PROPS SHOWED SLIGHT BENDING (LOW POWER WHEN HIT WATER), ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM ENGINE MOUNT AFTER HITTING SAND BOTTOM. WHEN INSPECTING OF ENGINE AND LINES IT WAS FOUND THAT A FUEL LINE NUT WAS ONLY HAND TIGHT. ALSO FUEL AND OIL LINES WERE SEPARATED FROM ENGINE. ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED SIGNS OF OIL STARVATION AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURES. OIL LEAK FROM LOCATION UNKNOWN.

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 CHI04CA142Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAcme, MIEngine oil starvation and inadequate maintenance by the pilot.May 26, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N115PK · 1

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

Accident 19850721032759AForced Landing · Acme, MIMixture control not safety wired. Became disconnected, cut off fuel to engine. Landed in field, hit an embankment.Jul 21, 1985 · Reported as Amtrbd BEDEBD4 · Destroyed