20061221027449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Clopto COMPAIR7SL · Cocoa, FL · December 21, 2006

Date: December 21, 2006 · 10:15 local
Place: Cocoa, FL
Airport: Merritt Island Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N286JL
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA07LA032
Reported as: Clopto COMPAIR7SL
Reported engine: WALTER M601D
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 701 total50 in this make and model21 in the last 90 days

N286JLRegistration cancelled May 14, 2013 · Clopton Aero AEROCOMP COMPAIR 7SLS/N 057222 · Built 2006 Airframe modelClopton Aero AEROCOMP COMPAIR 7SL Engine modelWalter 601DTurbo-prop

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) The pilot stated that prior to the accident flight, he checked the fuel tanks and he estimated that there was approx. 125 gals of fuel on board and that there was no water found in the tanks. The pilot stated that after 7 take off and landings at the Merritt Island Airport, that on climb out, the engine, on its own, spooled back from 93% to 61% which is the engines idle speed setting. The pilot further stated that he turned the aircraft back toward the airport and started the aircraft's prescribed emergency procedures without any increase in engine speed. He then configured the aircraft for ditching by shutting down the engine and opening the left door. After landing, he got his dog out of the aircraft and swam to a nearby boat. The engine's condition lever was found in the shut off position.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, HE CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS AND HE ESTIMATED THAT THERE WAS APPROX. 125 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND THAT THERE WAS NO WATER FOUND IN THE TANKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER 7 TAKE OFF AND LANDINGS AT THE MERRITT ISLAND AIRPORT, THAT ON CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE, ON ITS OWN, SPOOLED BACK FROM 93% TO 61% WHICH IS THE ENGINES IDLE SPEED SETTING. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND STARTED THE AIRCRAFT'S PRESCRIBED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN ENGINE SPEED. HE THEN CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR DITCHING BY SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE AND OPENING THE LEFT DOOR. AFTER LANDING, HE GOT HIS DOG OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SWAM TO A NEARBY BOAT. THE ENGINE'S CONDITION LEVER WAS FOUND IN THE SHUT OFF POSITION.

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 MIA07LA032Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMerritt Island, FLThe airplane manufacturer's inadequate maintenance prior to final aircraft delivery, which resulted in fuel filter blockage and engine fuel starvation.Dec 21, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N286JL · 1

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

Accident 20100208028229ALanding: Approach · Merritt Island, FLN286JL, an experimental amatuer built aerocomp 7SL was on a day VFR flight from tallahassee, FL (ktlh) to Merritt Island, FL (kcoi). Upon landing on RW29, aircraft landed hard, causing it to bounce in the air and to the left of the centerline approxamately 10…Feb 8, 2010 · Substantial damage