# Accident 20140425017129A: Flight Design Gmbh CTLS, Greenville, TX, April 25, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 25, 2014, 14:42 local time
- Place: Greenville, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.0678° N, 96.0653° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0678&lon=-96.0653&mi=10
- Aircraft: N106SF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N106SF-2018-05-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Flight Design CTLS (registry code 060005B, https://openairdocs.org/model/flight-design-ctls) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTLS
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 319 total, 194 in this make and model, 74 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA226) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140425017129A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A NORMAL TAKEOFF FROM JXI.  APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES LATER, THE RIGHT AND LEFT EGTS INDICATED EQUAL, NORMAL TEMPERATURES.  FIVE MINUTES AFTER THIS POINT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5100 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED.  AN AIR START WAS ATTEMPTED AFTER ESTABLISHING BEST GLIDE SPEED.  THE PROP TURNED THREE TIMES AND STOPPED.  A SECOND ATTEMPT AT AN AIR START WAS ATTEMPTED WITH NO ROTATION OF THE PROPELLER.  THE PILOT TRANSMITTED IN THE BLIND, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY ON FREQUENCY 121.5.  THE PILOT SET THE EMERGENCY CODE OF 7700 IN THE TRANSPONDER AND TURNED TO A HEADING FOR GREENVILLE MAJORS FIELD (GVT).

WHEN THE PILOT SAW THAT HE COULD NOT GLIDE TO GVT, HE BEGAN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER SUITABLE LANDING SPOT.  THE PILOT SAW AN AREA OF SOCCER FIELDS AND BASEBALL DIAMONDS AND HEADED FOR AN OPEN SPOT AWAY FROM THE PLAYING FIELDS.  AN AIRLINE PILOT, MONITORING THE EMERGENCY FREQUENCY, 121.5, HEARD THE DISTRESS CALL AND NOTIFIED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WHO WAS HANDLING THE AIRLINE?S FLIGHT.

THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD AWAY FROM THE PERSONS AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SMOOTH AREA.  ALL THREE LANDING GEAR WHEELS WERE ON THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET WHEN AN INTERSECTING THREE FOOT DRAINAGE DITCH WAS ENCOUNTERED.  THE NOSE GEAR WHEEL SHEARED OFF WHEN THE AIRCRAFT REACHED THE UPSLOPE OF THE DITCH.  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE NOSE HIGH AND THE MAIN GEAR ON THE GROUND FOR ANOTHER 60 FEET WHEN THE BROKEN NOSE GEAR STRUT DUG INTO THE GROUND, FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES, COMING TO REST 150 FEET FROM THE SECOND GROUND CONTACT.

THE ENGINE, FIREWALL AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE AS WAS THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS.  THE REST OF THE FUSELAGE REMAINED INTACT AND NO FIRE RESULTED.  THE EMERGENCY ROCKET PARACHUTE WAS NOT DEPLOYED AND DID NOT IGNITE POST IMPACT.

## 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 CEN14LA226](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA226), Apr 25, 2014: Flight Design Ctls (N106SF), Greenville, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve due to excessive wear of the corresponding train tappet, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

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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