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20140810014739A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Nelson Gene R RV-3M · North Plains, OR · August 10, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 10, 2014 · 12:20 local
Place
North Plains, OR
Airport
North Plains
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N43AZ
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR14LA338
Reported as
Nelson Gene R RV-3M
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
N43AZRegistration cancelled Mar 14, 2018 · Nelson Gene R RV-3MS/N 11107 · Built 1991Airframe modelNelson Gene R RV-3MEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

The PIC said he departed North Plains glider port (1OR4) and climbed to 400 feet AGL before starting a left turn. During the left turn, the engine suddenly went to idle. The PIC said the engine surged two more times then quit. The PIC continued his turn 180 degrees from his take off direction and landed in a field. The aircraft landed perpendicular to the crop rows causing the main gear to collapse underneath the wings.

The FAA arrived 4 hours after the accident. The fuel selected was set to the right fuel tank. Visual inspection of the fuel tanks revealed there was approximately 1-2 inches of fuel in the left fuel tank and no visible fuel in the right fuel tank; however the sides and bottom of the fuel tank were moist. The left fuel tank was dripping fuel from the bottom of the tank near the fuselage. There was visible evidence that fuel had leaked out from right fuel tank. The leading edges of both wings had severe vertical creases causing a tear in the metal. Also, because the main gear is attached to the fuselage/fire wall area, it appeared the right main gear damaged the fuselage where the gear was attached.

The PIC said he checked his fuel before he departed and had approximately a half tank of fuel in the left tank and ¾ of fuel in the right fuel tank. The PIC also, indicated he recently worked on the carburetor and has flown the aircraft a few times with no problems since he worked on the carburetor.

As the FAA filed it

THE PIC SAID HE DEPARTED NORTH PLAINS GLIDER PORT (1OR4) AND CLIMBED TO 400 FEET AGL BEFORE STARTING A LEFT TURN. DURING THE LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT TO IDLE. THE PIC SAID THE ENGINE SURGED TWO MORE TIMES THEN QUIT. THE PIC CONTINUED HIS TURN 180 DEGREES FROM HIS TAKE OFF DIRECTION AND LANDED IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED PERPENDICULAR TO THE CROP ROWS CAUSING THE MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE UNDERNEATH THE WINGS.

THE FAA ARRIVED 4 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE FUEL SELECTED WAS SET TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1-2 INCHES OF FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND NO VISIBLE FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK; HOWEVER THE SIDES AND BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WERE MOIST. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS DRIPPING FUEL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK NEAR THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS VISIBLE EVIDENCE THAT FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT FROM RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS HAD SEVERE VERTICAL CREASES CAUSING A TEAR IN THE METAL. ALSO, BECAUSE THE MAIN GEAR IS ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE/FIRE WALL AREA, IT APPEARED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DAMAGED THE FUSELAGE WHERE THE GEAR WAS ATTACHED.

THE PIC SAID HE CHECKED HIS FUEL BEFORE HE DEPARTED AND HAD APPROXIMATELY A HALF TANK OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND ¾ OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE PIC ALSO, INDICATED HE RECENTLY WORKED ON THE CARBURETOR AND HAS FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT A FEW TIMES WITH NO PROBLEMS SINCE HE WORKED ON THE CARBURETOR.

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 WPR14LA338Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportNorth Plains, ORA partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons which resulted in a landing gear collapse during the precautionary landing to a field.Aug 10, 2014 · Substantial damage