20061111028159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Vogelw GLASTAR 41 · Snow Shoe, PA · November 11, 2006

Date: November 11, 2006 · 09:25 local
Place: Snow Shoe, PA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N441AV
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC07LA026
Reported as: Vogelw GLASTAR41
Reported engine: AMTR SUBARUEJ25
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 162 total82 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N441AVRegistration cancelled Oct 16, 2009 · Vogel Walter GLASTAR 41S/N 041 · Built 2001 Airframe modelVogel Walter GLASTAR 41 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) During a VFR night cross country flight from hzl to tdz, N441AV experienced a complete engine failure in flight in the vicinity of Snow Shoe, PA. The aircraft impacted trees coming to rest on an inclinded ridge. The impact caused one fatality, the pilot privacy data omitted and serious injuries to the survivor privacy data omitted. Post crash investigation revealed that the cam/timing belt came loose due to the loss of the cam/timing belt idler pulley assembly. Inadequate tension on the timing belt caused the belt to slip, misfiring the spark plugs and damaging valves on two of the four cylinders. Due to the loss of the idler pulley assembly, the loose timing belt caused significant engine damage. The damage was significant enough to cause a complete engine shutdown in flight. The idler pulley assembly failed because of a modification to the manufacturer's original design.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING A VFR NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM HZL TO TDZ, N441AV EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT IN THE VICINITY OF SNOW SHOE, PA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES COMING TO REST ON AN INCLINDED RIDGE. THE IMPACT CAUSED ONE FATALITY, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE SURVIVOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CAM/TIMING BELT CAME LOOSE DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE CAM/TIMING BELT IDLER PULLEY ASSEMBLY. INADEQUATE TENSION ON THE TIMING BELT CAUSED THE BELT TO SLIP, MISFIRING THE SPARK PLUGS AND DAMAGING VALVES ON TWO OF THE FOUR CYLINDERS. DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE IDLER PULLEY ASSEMBLY, THE LOOSE TIMING BELT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A COMPLETE ENGINE SHUTDOWN IN FLIGHT. THE IDLER PULLEY ASSEMBLY FAILED BECAUSE OF A MODIFICATION TO THE MANUFACTURER'S ORIGINAL DESIGN.

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 NYC07LA026Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportSnow Shoe, PAThe builder's improper installation of an additional alternator. Contributing to the accident were the night lighting conditions.Nov 11, 2006 · Substantial damage