20070904020869A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr Hornet · Santa Paula, CA · September 4, 2007

Date: September 4, 2007 · 19:14 local
Place: Santa Paula, CA
Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N155HC
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA07LA248
Reported as: Amtr Hornet
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX914
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,300 total12 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N155HCRegistration cancelled May 31, 2017 · Higher Class SPORT HORNETS/N 054 · Built 2007 Airframe modelHigher Class SPORT HORNET Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

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) Pilots were delivering a new airplane from ramona airport (rmn), ramona, CA to the new owner in lake chelan, WA. Their first stop enroute was Santa Paula airport (szp), Santa Paula, CA. During approach to runway 22 (szp) the student pilot overshot the runway due to excessive airspeed and a rejected landing was initiated. At approximately 200 to 500 feet AGL, the engine demonstrated signs of imminent power failure and the flight instructor took the flight controls. A left turn was started in an apparent effort to return to the runway. The aircraft reached the surface before the turn was completed and came to rest adjacent to the departure end of runway 22, in the Santa clara river. Serious injury to the pilots and sustantial damage to the aircraft resulted. The pilots stated that a fuel flow indicator had been installed earlier in the day, but was removed because the engine tried to quit after the indicator ahd been installed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOTS WERE DELIVERING A NEW AIRPLANE FROM RAMONA AIRPORT (RMN), RAMONA, CA TO THE NEW OWNER IN LAKE CHELAN, WA. THEIR FIRST STOP ENROUTE WAS SANTA PAULA AIRPORT (SZP), SANTA PAULA, CA. DURING APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22 (SZP) THE STUDENT PILOT OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY DUE TO EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND A REJECTED LANDING WAS INITIATED. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 500 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE DEMONSTRATED SIGNS OF IMMINENT POWER FAILURE AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. A LEFT TURN WAS STARTED IN AN APPARENT EFFORT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT REACHED THE SURFACE BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETED AND CAME TO REST ADJACENT TO THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22, IN THE SANTA CLARA RIVER. SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PILOTS AND SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT RESULTED. THE PILOTS STATED THAT A FUEL FLOW INDICATOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT WAS REMOVED BECAUSE THE ENGINE TRIED TO QUIT AFTER THE INDICATOR AHD BEEN INSTALLED.

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 SEA07LA248Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Paula, CAA loss of engine power during a go-around for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering following the loss of power.Sep 5, 2007 · Substantial damage