20100627036309A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Titan T-51 · Columbia, CA · June 27, 2010

Date: June 27, 2010 · 08:50 local
Place: Columbia, CA
Airport: Columbia
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N751RM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10LA316
Reported as: Titan T-51
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,100 total2 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N751RMRegistration cancelled Jan 26, 2018 · Mcglashan Richard T-51S/N MLS08912SOHK0137 · Built 2009 Airframe modelMcglashan Richard T-51 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.

While on downwind leg of approach to Columbia Airport O22, approximately 3 miles out, at about 800 feet AGL the engine quit. Pilot landed in a field. The right main gear encountered a small mound of rocks hidden by tall grass. The right gear was nearly torn off. The aircraft pitched up on its nose and rotated approximately 90 degrees right and came down on the left main gear. The left gear was broken off, the gear strut protruded through the top of the wing root. The propeller, though not rotating, was damaged. Fuel on board was estimated at 10 gallons. Examination of the engine compartment was unremarkable with one exception. The ignition module showed evidence of overheat. The forward upper portion of the case was distorted and mildly bubbled. An exhaust tube is routed approximately 2 1/2 inches forward of the ignition module. The pilot was not injured and there was no fire. Weather was not a factor.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE ON DOWNWIND LEG OF APPROACH TO COLUMBIA AIRPORT O22, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES OUT, AT ABOUT 800 FEET AGL THE ENGINE QUIT. PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ENCOUNTERED A SMALL MOUND OF ROCKS HIDDEN BY TALL GRASS. THE RIGHT GEAR WAS NEARLY TORN OFF. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP ON ITS NOSE AND ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES RIGHT AND CAME DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE LEFT GEAR WAS BROKEN OFF, THE GEAR STRUT PROTRUDED THROUGH THE TOP OF THE WING ROOT. THE PROPELLER, THOUGH NOT ROTATING, WAS DAMAGED. FUEL ON BOARD WAS ESTIMATED AT 10 GALLONS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS UNREMARKABLE WITH ONE EXCEPTION.THE IGNITION MODULE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEAT. THE FORWARD UPPER PORTION OF THE CASE WAS DISTORTED AND MILDLY BUBBLED. AN EXHAUST TUBE IS ROUTED APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 INCHES FORWARD OF THE IGNITION MODULE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR.

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 WPR10LA316Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColumbia, CAA loss of engine power during approach due to thermal damage to the engine's electronic ignition module. Contributing to the accident was the builder’s placement of the ignition module near the engine’s exhaust.Jun 27, 2010 · Substantial damage