# Accident 20150418014269A: Douglas Ripley PITTS MODEL 12, Burneyville, OK, April 18, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 2015, 17:45 local time
- Place: Burneyville, OK
- Airport: Falconhead
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9258° N, 97.2964° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9258&lon=-97.2964&mi=10
- Aircraft: N12DR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12DR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Douglas Ripley PITTS MODEL 12 (registry code 05632KU, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-ripley-pitts-model-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Vedeneyev M14P (registry code 63601, https://openairdocs.org/engine/vedeneyev-m14p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUGLAS RIPLEY PITTS MODEL 12
- Reported engine: VENDENYEV M14P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,451 total, 12 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA205) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150418014269A

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 18, AT APPROXIMATELY 1745 CENTRAL TIME, THE PILOT, WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT  FALCON HEAD AIRPORT (37K) NEAR BURNEYVILLE, OKLAHOMA IN VFR CONDITION WHEN THE AIRCRAFT, A PITTS MODEL 12, LOST POWER DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE.  THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD SHORT OF FALCON HEAD AIRPORT.  THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, WITH ONE PERSON ON BOARD WHO RECEIVED NO INJURIES.

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT AT FALCON HEAD AIRPORT, HE ENTERED A LEFT DOWN WIND FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 18, PPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE.  HE REDUCED THE POWER TO APPROXIMATELY 15" MPM AND 2,000 RPM AND DESCENDED AT 100 MPH INDICATED AIRSPEED.  WHILE TURNING BASE LEG, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. HE INSTINCTIVE PUSHED BOTH THROTTLE AND PROPELLER CONTROLS FULL FORWARD. THIS ACTION RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. HE MADE THE DECISION TO TURN HARD LEFT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A LARGE WHEAT FIELD.

THE FIELD WAS EXTREMELY SOFT FROM RECENT RAINS. THE AIRCRAFT GEAR CAUGHT BY THE MUD AND FOLDED BACK WARD, CAUSING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACK THE GROUND, AND BUCKLE UPWARD.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP.  FUEL WAS STREAMING INTO THE FRONT COCKPIT AREA. HE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY.

THE ON SIGHT INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FOLLOWING DISCREPANCIES:  COCKPIT AREA: SEATBELTS-HOOKER CUSTOM HARNESS- OKAY, THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS WERE JAMED OR BINDING, OTHER INSTRUMENTS WERE OKAY.  THE CANNOPY CONDITION WERE OKAY, RUDDER PEDALS JAMED, MAIN FUEL TANK FULL OF FUEL, WHEN FUEL TANK CAP REMOVED FUEL STARTED LEAKING FROM BROKEN FUEL LINE, THREE BLADE PROPELLER  BROKEN AND SEPARATED FROM  CRANK SHALF, NOSE LANDING GEAR BENT INWARD AND DAMAGE FROM HARD LANDING, RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE DAMAGE, WING FABRIC SKIN TORN, AND STRUCTURE DAMAGE, ELEVATOR CONTROLS DAMAGE, VERITAL STABILIZER CONTROL CABLE BROKEN, MAIN LANDING GEAR DAMAGE, AND FUSELAGE BUCKLE AND INCURRED STRUCTURE DAMAGE.

## 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 CEN15LA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA205), Apr 18, 2015: Pitts Model 12 (N12DR), Burneyville, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power due to contamination of the fuel system.

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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