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20140909017169A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · George Henry Nolin VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-10 · La Porte, TX · September 9, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 9, 2014 · 15:12 local
Place
La Porte, TX
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N104HN
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN14LA495
Reported as
George Henry Nolin VAN'S Aircraft RV-10
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-540-D4A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
207 total29 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days
N104HNRegistration cancelled May 14, 2018 · George Henry Nolin VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-10S/N 40462 · Built 2014Airframe modelGeorge Henry Nolin VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-10Engine modelLycoming IO-540-D4A5Reciprocating

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 left efd for rwj to do touch and go and landing practice. Engine shut down during taxi at rwj. Pilot restarted engine and taxiied at 1175 RPM to avoid similar issue. Departed rwj for efd and passenger noticed engine sputtered. Pilot turned on fuel boost pump and believes he switched tanks from right to left. Engine quit entirely about 4 miles from efd. Plane was at approximately 600 feet, efd pattern altitude. Efd suggested laporte or 17L, but pilot did not have altitude for either. Pilot landed in field, manuvering to avoid trees. Dragged right wingtip while landing in a southwesterly direction, then impacted ground hard on all three wheels, shearing nose wheel off. Aircraft skidded 50 yards or so before left main gear collapsed, then aircraft pivoted left to come to rest on a southeasterly heading. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to right and left wings with evidence of structural damage due to crumpled skin at the left wing root. Propeller was bent and a significant portion of the underside of the engine cowling was crushed. Pilot and passenger exited with no apparent injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT LEFT EFD FOR RWJ TO DO TOUCH AND GO AND LANDING PRACTICE. ENGINE SHUT DOWN DURING TAXI AT RWJ. PILOT RESTARTED ENGINE AND TAXIIED AT 1175 RPM TO AVOID SIMILAR ISSUE. DEPARTED RWJ FOR EFD AND PASSENGER NOTICED ENGINE SPUTTERED. PILOT TURNED ON FUEL BOOST PUMP AND BELIEVES HE SWITCHED TANKS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. ENGINE QUIT ENTIRELY ABOUT 4 MILES FROM EFD. PLANE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET, EFD PATTERN ALTITUDE. EFD SUGGESTED LAPORTE OR 17L, BUT PILOT DID NOT HAVE ALTITUDE FOR EITHER. PILOT LANDED IN FIELD, MANUVERING TO AVOID TREES. DRAGGED RIGHT WINGTIP WHILE LANDING IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION, THEN IMPACTED GROUND HARD ON ALL THREE WHEELS, SHEARING NOSE WHEEL OFF. AIRCRAFT SKIDDED 50 YARDS OR SO BEFORE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN AIRCRAFT PIVOTED LEFT TO COME TO REST ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS WITH EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE DUE TO CRUMPLED SKIN AT THE LEFT WING ROOT. PROPELLER WAS BENT AND A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING WAS CRUSHED. PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED WITH NO APPARENT INJURIES.

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 CEN14LA495Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHouston, TXThe total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.Sep 9, 2014 · Substantial damage