20160710010959A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Alonso Gregorio F CH 701 · Dexter, MI · July 10, 2016

Date: July 10, 2016 · 12:23 local
Place: Dexter, MI
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N701ZG
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN16LA264
Reported as: Alonso Gregorio F CH 701
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 292 total10 in the last 90 days

N701ZGRegistered now · Alonso Gregorio F CH 701S/N 7-6607 · Built 2009 Airframe modelAlonso Gregorio F CH 701 Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

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 aircraft experienced a loss of power at approximately 3,000 feet. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, the pilot elected to make a forced landing in a field. During the final approach, previously unseen power lines became visible and the pilot "ducked under" the power lines, resulting in a hard landing that caused substantial damage to the aircraft.

After several inspections of the engine and following a teardown, the cause of the loss of power has not be positively identified.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 3,000 FEET. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN POWER LINES BECAME VISIBLE AND THE PILOT "DUCKED UNDER" THE POWER LINES, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING THAT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

AFTER SEVERAL INSPECTIONS OF THE ENGINE AND FOLLOWING A TEARDOWN, THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER HAS NOT BE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED.

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 CEN16LA264Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDexter, MIThe total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.Jul 10, 2016 · Substantial damage