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20160807014159A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Experimental RV-4 · Waddy, KY · August 7, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 7, 2016 · 17:09 local
Place
Waddy, KY
Airport
Miles Field
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N924WZ
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA16LA281
Reported as
Experimental RV-4
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320-E3D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
202 total17 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days
N924WZRegistration cancelled Mar 27, 2017 · Jules S Roberie RV-4S/N 3218 · Built 2016Airframe modelJules S Roberie RV-4Engine modelLycoming O-320-E3DReciprocating

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.

N924WZ, an RV-4, was on approach to runway 7 at Miles Field (3KY9), when the PIC noticed a deer on the runway. He made a low approach to scare away the deer, but when he added full throttle to climb back into the pattern, the engine did not produce full power. The aircraft was still able to climb, and was approaching the departure end of runway 7, so the PIC decided to climb into the pattern to make another approach to runway 7. He kept the traffic pattern "high and tight." Turning base, he realized he was too high and throttled back. The aircraft began to sink faster than the PIC intended, so he again added power, but the aircraft continued to descend. The aircraft impacted the ground close to the tree line south of the approach end of runway 7. Aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no post event fire. Pilot sustained injuries.

Unable to find a mechanical reason for the loss of engine power. Temperature/dewpoint at the time of the accident were reported as 30C and 15C (86F and 59F), which carb ice potential chart indicates could be conducive to "serious icing at glide power."

As the FAA filed it

N924WZ, AN RV-4, WAS ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 7 AT MILES FIELD (3KY9), WHEN THE PIC NOTICED A DEER ON THE RUNWAY. HE MADE A LOW APPROACH TO SCARE AWAY THE DEER, BUT WHEN HE ADDED FULL THROTTLE TO CLIMB BACK INTO THE PATTERN, THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL ABLE TO CLIMB, AND WAS APPROACHING THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 7, SO THE PIC DECIDED TO CLIMB INTO THE PATTERN TO MAKE ANOTHER APPROACH TO RUNWAY 7. HE KEPT THE TRAFFIC PATTERN "HIGH AND TIGHT." TURNING BASE, HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH AND THROTTLED BACK. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SINK FASTER THAN THE PIC INTENDED, SO HE AGAIN ADDED POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND CLOSE TO THE TREE LINE SOUTH OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 7. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO POST EVENT FIRE. PILOT SUSTAINED INJURIES.

UNABLE TO FIND A MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. TEMPERATURE/DEWPOINT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS 30C AND 15C (86F AND 59F), WHICH CARB ICE POTENTIAL CHART INDICATES COULD BE CONDUCIVE TO "SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER."

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 ERA16LA281Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportShelbyville, KYThe partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to effectively use carburetor heat.Aug 7, 2016 · Substantial damage