# Accident 20110729016819A: Hurley Richard A CAVALIER SA102.5, Salem, IA, July 29, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2011, 10:04 local time
- Place: Salem, IA
- Airport: Mt. Pleasant
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7831° N, 91.1253° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7831&lon=-91.1253&mi=10
- Aircraft: N115RH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N115RH-2011-11-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hurley Richard A CAVALIER SA102.5 (registry code 05613LJ, https://openairdocs.org/model/hurley-richard-a-cavalier-sa102-5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HURLEY RICHARD A CAVALIER SA102.5
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-290
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,811 total, 115 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11LA539](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA539) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110729016819A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED HE WAS DESCENDING INTO THE MT. PLEASANT (MPZ) AIRPORT, AND AT ABOUT 2000 FEET, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SAID HE ACTUATED THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND INCREASED THE MIXTURE, AND THE ENGINE BEGAIN TO RUN SMOOTH AGAIN. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER AGAIN. THE PILOT STATED HE TRIED SELECTING THE RIGHT AND LEFT TANKS WITH THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON. NOTHING HE DID HELPED. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD NEAR THE TOWN OF SALEM, IOWA, WHICH IS JUST SOUTHWEST OF THE MT. PLEASANT AIRPORT.ONE BLADE OF THE COMPOSITE PROPELLER HAD NO VISIBLE DAMAGE; THE OTHER BLADE WAS BROKEN OFF, SUGGESTING THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT. THE LEFT WING TIP FUEL TANK HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL; THE RIGHT WING TIP TANK WAS ABOUT HALF FULL. COMPRESSION AND SPARK WERE VERIFIED AT ALL CYLINDERS AND BOTH MAGNETOS. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CLEAN AND DRY. THE COMBINATION FUEL SUMP/BOWL WAS DISLODGED AND OPEN TO THE AIR. THERE WAS NO FUEL OR FUEL RESIDUE IN THE BOWL. THE FUEL SCREEN WAS INSPECTED AND WAS FOUND TO BE CLEAN. THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION. AN EYEWITNESS STATEMENT INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPUTTERING AND MISSING, AND THE AIRCRAFT WINGS WERE SWAYING SLIGHTLY SIDE TO SIDE.

## 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 CEN11LA539](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA539), Jul 29, 2011: Hurley Richard A Cavalier SA102.5 (N115RH), Salem, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.