# Incident 20170216001689I: Lunacek Edward THATCHER CX4, Colorado Spring, CO, February 16, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 16, 2017, 12:30 local time
- Place: Colorado Spring, CO
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8339° N, 104.8214° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Colorado Springs, CO, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8339&lon=-104.8214&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15AT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15AT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lunacek Edward THATCHER CX4 (registry code 05635QF, https://openairdocs.org/model/lunacek-edward-thatcher-cx4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Hummel 2180 (registry code 34250, https://openairdocs.org/engine/hummel-2180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LUNACEK EDWARD THATCHER CX4
- Reported engine: HUMMEL 2180
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 797 total, 62 in this make and model, 62 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170216001689I

## Narrative

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

PIC SPENT THE EVENING PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT AT MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT IN HIS RV, FOR AN EARLY DEPARTURE WHEN THE AIR WAS CALMER.  THE PIC PERFORMED A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER REMOVING THE CANOPY COVER, INCLUDING INSPECTION OF CABLES AND FLIGHT CONTROLS, DRAIN AND EXAMINE FUEL, INSPECTED BOLTS AND ATTACHMENTS, BEARINGS AND TIRE PRESSURE, CANOPY OPERATION.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 AT MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT AT 07:15 AM AFTER A REVIEW OF AWOS AND REVIEW OF WEATHER CONDITIONS.  THE PIC'S FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AT 8500 FT ASL, AIRSPEED AT 120 MPH.  AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND BEGAN TO PRODUCE LESS THAN FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT LOSE POWER COMPLETELY BUT WOULD DECREASE POWER FOR LONGER PERIODS AS THE FLIGHT CONTINUED, AND IT SEEMED TO BE PRUDENT TO LAND TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF POWER LOSS.  THE PIC DID NOT ATTEMPT A RESTART AS THE ENGINE DID NOT QUIT COMPLETELY UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON THE GROUND.  THE ENGINE STOPPED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A FLAT AREA OF PASTURE.  THE PIC USED HIS I-FLIGHT PLANNER ON AN IPAD IN THE COCKPIT, WITH GPS BACKUP FOR ELECTRONIC FLIGHT PLANNING AND EXECUTION.  THE PIC DETERMINED THERE WERE SEVERAL PRIVATE LANDING STRIPS SHOWN ON THE SECTIONAL, SOME OVERGROWN.  THE PIC LANDED IN THE FLATTEST FIELD AVAILABLE.  THE LANDING WENT WELL, BUT THERE WAS A BERM AT THE END OF THE FIELD AND ON ROLL OUT AT LOW SPEED THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED DOWN INTO A DITCH THAT CAUSED THE RIGHT GEAR TO BE BENT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE.  THE DAMAGE AFTER IMPACT WAS THE BENT LANDING GEAR, FIBERGLASS WHEEL PAN BROKEN, WOODEN PROP BROKEN, AND A DENT IN THE WING FROM CONTACT WITH THE LANDING GEAR.  THE PILOT DISASSEMBLED THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE PRIOR TO FAA/NTSB APPROVAL AND THEN  TRAILERED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FIELD AFTER THE FAA AUTHORIZED THE MOVE TO MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT.

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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