What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft has been in phase 1 testing since experimental certificate was issued in September 2015. Aircraft construction began in 2010. During the first flight pilotprivacy data omitted said high cylinder head temperatures (CHT) between 400 and 410 were noted and he landed and inspected engine baffles and cowling seals. Some oil leakage noted at nose seal. Second flight still had high CHT and pilot returned to airport. After communicating with aero sport decided to change nose seal with another mechanic. (Aero sport said the seal could have dried out while engine was in storage until installed in the aircraft.) And checked timing of both e-mags. Weather in December delayed next flight until 2nd of January. During the flight on January 2nd the CHT was still high. The engine started rough. Oil temperature ran 170 to 195 but CHT stayed at about 410 with full rich mixture. CHT would drop to about 380 when power was pulled back.
Pilot decided to return to sle. Directed to runway 34 then was directed by ATC to turn south and extend for traffic. After turn and extend he proceeded toward runway 34 and started slowing by pulling back power to about 1500 RPM and 100 knots when engine surged then felt like it lost power then recovered some. Pilot added power which caused engine to surge. Surging got worse then lost power. Propeller rotation stopped. Pilot engaged starter and got a slight increase in power. Sink rate increased and stall horn sounded. Pilot nosed down to pickup speed then pulled back on stick as aircraft contacted ground about 70 yards short of runway threshold. Propeller and nose landing gear hit soft ground. Propeller end broke and nose landing gear bent back. Aircraft stopped with very little roll. Pilot exited aircraft uninjured.
When engine cowling removed it was noted that engine mount frame had bent firewall which classified this as an accident.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN IN PHASE 1 TESTING SINCE EXPERIMENTAL CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER 2015. AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2010. DURING THE FIRST FLIGHT PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURES (CHT) BETWEEN 400 AND 410 WERE NOTED AND HE LANDED AND INSPECTED ENGINE BAFFLES AND COWLING SEALS. SOME OIL LEAKAGE NOTED AT NOSE SEAL. SECOND FLIGHT STILL HAD HIGH CHT AND PILOT RETURNED TO AIRPORT. AFTER COMMUNICATING WITH AERO SPORT DECIDED TO CHANGE NOSE SEAL WITH ANOTHER MECHANIC. (AERO SPORT SAID THE SEAL COULD HAVE DRIED OUT WHILE ENGINE WAS IN STORAGE UNTIL INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT.) AND CHECKED TIMING OF BOTH E-MAGS. WEATHER IN DECEMBER DELAYED NEXT FLIGHT UNTIL 2ND OF JANUARY. DURING THE FLIGHT ON JANUARY 2ND THE CHT WAS STILL HIGH. THE ENGINE STARTED ROUGH. OIL TEMPERATURE RAN 170 TO 195 BUT CHT STAYED AT ABOUT 410 WITH FULL RICH MIXTURE. CHT WOULD DROP TO ABOUT 380 WHEN POWER WAS PULLED BACK.
PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO SLE. DIRECTED TO RUNWAY 34 THEN WAS DIRECTED BY ATC TO TURN SOUTH AND EXTEND FOR TRAFFIC. AFTER TURN AND EXTEND HE PROCEEDED TOWARD RUNWAY 34 AND STARTED SLOWING BY PULLING BACK POWER TO ABOUT 1500 RPM AND 100 KNOTS WHEN ENGINE SURGED THEN FELT LIKE IT LOST POWER THEN RECOVERED SOME. PILOT ADDED POWER WHICH CAUSED ENGINE TO SURGE. SURGING GOT WORSE THEN LOST POWER. PROPELLER ROTATION STOPPED. PILOT ENGAGED STARTER AND GOT A SLIGHT INCREASE IN POWER. SINK RATE INCREASED AND STALL HORN SOUNDED. PILOT NOSED DOWN TO PICKUP SPEED THEN PULLED BACK ON STICK AS AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND ABOUT 70 YARDS SHORT OF RUNWAY THRESHOLD. PROPELLER AND NOSE LANDING GEAR HIT SOFT GROUND. PROPELLER END BROKE AND NOSE LANDING GEAR BENT BACK. AIRCRAFT STOPPED WITH VERY LITTLE ROLL. PILOT EXITED AIRCRAFT UNINJURED.
WHEN ENGINE COWLING REMOVED IT WAS NOTED THAT ENGINE MOUNT FRAME HAD BENT FIREWALL WHICH CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.