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20051112029029A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr VANS RV-4 · Apple Valley, CA · November 12, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 12, 2005 · 09:45 local
Place
Apple Valley, CA
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N14GK
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX06CA035
Reported as
Amtr VANSRV4
Reported engine
Lycoming AEIO360*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
10,000 total1,011 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N14GKRegistered now · Kruggel Ewald G VANS RV-4S/N 580 · Built 1993Airframe modelKruggel Ewald G VANS RV-4Engine modelLycoming AEIO-360 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) On November 12, 2005, at approximately 1000 pacific standard time, a vans RV-4, N14GK, after striking a wire, made a successful emergency landing at Apple Valley airport, Apple Valley, California. The airplane, which sustained substantial damage, was operated by the owner/pilot. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained no injuries. The personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations originated at hesperia, California, at 0935, and was destined for north las vegas, Nevada. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that 12 to 15 minutes into the flight while operating over the open desert at cruise flight at approximately 7500 feet AGL he experienced partial loss of engine power (engine cutting in and out). The pilot stated that as he was losing his altitude the engine would momentarily regain and lose power repeatedly. The pilot stated that as he was descending for an emergency landing on a visible dirt road and at approximately 20 to 30 feet AGL the engine responded and he applied full power. The aircraft struck a power line while attempting to climb out. The pilot was able to recover but noticed a large portion of his left wind tip was missing. The pilot was able to maneuver and make an uneventful emergency landing at the nearby Apple Valley airport. The pilot reported that he has not been able to investigate the cause for the engine power loss but would have the matter looked into by the company that was going to repair the aircraft at a later date. If applicable an m or d report would be forwarded.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 12, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A VANS RV-4, N14GK, AFTER STRIKING A WIRE, MADE A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING AT APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT, APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, WHICH SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER/PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS ORIGINATED AT HESPERIA, CALIFORNIA, AT 0935, AND WAS DESTINED FOR NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE ACCIDENT AREA, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT 12 TO 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT WHILE OPERATING OVER THE OPEN DESERT AT CRUISE FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 7500 FEET AGL HE EXPERIENCED PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER (ENGINE CUTTING IN AND OUT). THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS LOSING HIS ALTITUDE THE ENGINE WOULD MOMENTARILY REGAIN AND LOSE POWER REPEATEDLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS DESCENDING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A VISIBLE DIRT ROAD AND AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 FEET AGL THE ENGINE RESPONDED AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OUT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RECOVER BUT NOTICED A LARGE PORTION OF HIS LEFT WIND TIP WAS MISSING. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER AND MAKE AN UNEVENTFUL EMERGENCY LANDING AT THE NEARBY APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE POWER LOSS BUT WOULD HAVE THE MATTER LOOKED INTO BY THE COMPANY THAT WAS GOING TO REPAIR THE AIRCRAFT AT A LATER DATE. IF APPLICABLE AN M OR D REPORT WOULD BE FORWARDED.

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 LAX06CA035Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportApple Valley, CAa partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Nov 12, 2005 · Substantial damage