# Accident 20110522008939A: Flightstar Inc FLIGHTSTAR II, Grantville, GA, May 22, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 22, 2011, 18:45 local time
- Place: Grantville, GA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2586° N, 84.8444° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2586&lon=-84.8444&mi=10
- Aircraft: N194PG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N194PG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Flightstar FLIGHTSTAR II (registry code 05901Q2, https://openairdocs.org/model/flightstar-flightstar-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 503DCSI (registry code 55567, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503dcsi) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FLIGHTSTAR INC FLIGHTSTAR II
- Reported engine: ROTAX 503DCSI
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 650 total, 15 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA307) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110522008939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KCCO AT ABOUT 1745L FOR A LOCAL AREA PART 91 FLIGHT, AFTER APPROXIMATELY A 20 MIN FLIGHT THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO A PRIVATE USE FIELD (80GA) LOCATED 5NM FROM KCCO, THE PILOT MADE AN APPROACH TO THE GRASS STRIP, THE STRIP IS 2000' X 50' LOCATED IN A DENSELY WOODED AREA AND LINED ON BOTH SIDES AS WELL ON BOTH ENDS WITH 50-100' TALL TREES. ON APPROACH THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HIGH GRASS ON THE FIELD PREVENTED A SAFE LANDING. A GO AROUND WAS INITIATED, THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE THE EXPECTED POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT JUST CLEARED THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. UPON LEVELING OUT JUST ABOVE THE TREE LINE THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS IT TRAVERSED BETWEEN TREES, COMING TO REST ON A SMALL PAVED RESIDENTIAL ROAD APPROXIMATELY 20' FROM HIGH POWER TENSION LINES AND 50' FROM A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE.THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE FUEL TANK WAS ABOUT ½ FULL OR ABOUT 5 GALLONS, THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WAS FOUND INTACT HOWEVER, THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED. THE EMPENNAGE WAS SHEARED OFF AFT OF THE GONDOLA AND THE WINGS WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED. THE GONDOLA (COCKPIT) IS A DOOR-LESS DESIGN WITH TWO SEATS RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED ON A TRAILER AND MOVED TO A SITE FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. ON INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE ROTAX 503 DCSI ENGINE, NO APPARENT EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS EVIDENT, THERE APPEARED TO BE FUEL IN THE CLEAR FUEL LINES TO BOTH CARBURETORS AS WELL AS OIL IN THE CLEAR OIL INJECTION LINES. THE ENGINE ROTATED NORMALLY WHEN HAND PROPPED AND COMPRESSION COULD BE DETECTED. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, THE ENGINE ROTATED AT NORMAL CRANKING SPEED BUT WOULD NOT START, THIS WITH EACH/BOTH MAGNETOS SELECTED. RAW FUEL COULD BE DETECTED FROM THE EXHAUST AFTER EACH OF THE START ATTEMPTS. THE SPARK PLUGS FROM THE FORWARD CYLINDER WERE REMOVED AND INSPECTED; THEY WERE BROWNISH IN COLOR AND APPEARED IN THE "NORMAL" RANGE OF THE CHAMPION SPARK PLUG CHART. EACH PLUG WAS HELD AGAINST THE ENGINE CASE AND THE ENGINE ROTATED, SPARK WAS NOT OBSERVED ON ETHER PLUG. FURTHER DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE WAS NOT CONDUCTED. THE ENGINE LOGS INDICATED 54 HOURS SINCE THE ENGINE WAS ZERO TIMED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT ON 07/20/2009. THE LAST CONDITION INSPECTION OCCURRED ON 05/25/2010 AND WAS DUE BY THE END OF THE 05/2011; A TOTAL OF 30 HOURS HAS ACCUMULATED SINCE THE LAST CONDITION INSPECTION. NO ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE EVENTS HAVE BEEN RECORDED SINCE THE CONDITION INSPECTION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA11LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA307), May 22, 2011: Flightstar Flightstar II (N194PG), Grantville, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a seized piston.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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