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20140209003659A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Mahon Paul D CAPELLA SX · Spring, TX · February 9, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 9, 2014 · 12:44 local
Place
Spring, TX
Airport
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Air
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N239PM
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN14LA136
Reported as
Mahon Paul D Capella SX
Reported engine
ROTAX SEE BOMBADIER
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
8,000 total1 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days
N239PMRegistered now · Mahon Paul D CAPELLA SXS/N 239 · Built 2011Airframe modelMahon Paul D CAPELLA SXEngine modelRotax SEE BOMBADIERReciprocating

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.

Aircraft lost power after takeoff from dwh at approximately 700 feet. With reduced RPM the PIC did a 180 degree turn back towards dwh airport. Aircraft was unable to maintain altitude. The PIC recognized that they would not make the airport and tried to land in a field. The aircraft descended into a field and hit an embankment which flipped the aircraft on to its back where it came to a stop. Damage to the aircraft was substantial. The right wing was torn off with the spar torn in half, the left wing remained attached. One of the blades on the wooden propeller was broken off and the remaining blade had a significant crack almost the entire length. The cowling was damaged at the bottom of the nose and the fire wall had possible damage. The roof of the cockpit was pushed down bending the metal support tubes (cage).

A maintenance inspector inspected the aircraft and found no technical issues. Suspected carburetor ice. Temperature and dewpoint created the right conditions for carburetor ice to develop. This aircraft does not have the carburetor heat function to use if carburetor ice develops.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AFTER TAKEOFF FROM DWH AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET. WITH REDUCED RPM THE PIC DID A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARDS DWH AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PIC RECOGNIZED THAT THEY WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT AND TRIED TO LAND IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A FIELD AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT WHICH FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT ON TO ITS BACK WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN OFF WITH THE SPAR TORN IN HALF, THE LEFT WING REMAINED ATTACHED. ONE OF THE BLADES ON THE WOODEN PROPELLER WAS BROKEN OFF AND THE REMAINING BLADE HAD A SIGNIFICANT CRACK ALMOST THE ENTIRE LENGTH. THE COWLING WAS DAMAGED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NOSE AND THE FIRE WALL HAD POSSIBLE DAMAGE. THE ROOF OF THE COCKPIT WAS PUSHED DOWN BENDING THE METAL SUPPORT TUBES (CAGE).

A MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND NO TECHNICAL ISSUES. SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE. TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT CREATED THE RIGHT CONDITIONS FOR CARBURETOR ICE TO DEVELOP. THIS AIRCRAFT DOES NOT HAVE THE CARBURETOR HEAT FUNCTION TO USE IF CARBURETOR ICE DEVELOPS.

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 CEN14LA136Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHouston, TXThe loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.Feb 9, 2014 · Substantial damage