What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 30, 2017, N88MV an experimental vans RV6 departed fresno chandler airport ( kfch) for a local flight. The aircraft had just been equipped with a new avionics package including an electronic magneto system. About 15 minutes in the flight, the pilot decided to start its decent back to chandler airport. The pilot notices his feet were getting hot by the batteries followed by a sudden engine failure. The power failure was sudden and immediate. The pilot selected the nearest airport and started its glide from 4000 ft. the pilot attempted several air starts, but other than the starter motor engaging, the engine failed to start. The pilot realized at about 1000FT he was unable to make the airport and prepared to land on a street. Unfortunately for him there was vehicle traffic on the road and he was forced to land in a grape field. Upon impact the aircraft overturned. There were no injuries reported other than a cut on his hand.
The accident appreas to be a mechanical failure
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017, N88MV AN EXPERIMENTAL VANS RV6 DEPARTED FRESNO CHANDLER AIRPORT ( KFCH) FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A NEW AVIONICS PACKAGE INCLUDING AN ELECTRONIC MAGNETO SYSTEM. ABOUT 15 MINUTES IN THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO START ITS DECENT BACK TO CHANDLER AIRPORT. THE PILOT NOTICES HIS FEET WERE GETTING HOT BY THE BATTERIES FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE. THE POWER FAILURE WAS SUDDEN AND IMMEDIATE. THE PILOT SELECTED THE NEAREST AIRPORT AND STARTED ITS GLIDE FROM 4000 FT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL AIR STARTS, BUT OTHER THAN THE STARTER MOTOR ENGAGING, THE ENGINE FAILED TO START. THE PILOT REALIZED AT ABOUT 1000FT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT AND PREPARED TO LAND ON A STREET. UNFORTUNATELY FOR HIM THERE WAS VEHICLE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AND HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A GRAPE FIELD. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT OVERTURNED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED OTHER THAN A CUT ON HIS HAND.
THE ACCIDENT APPREAS TO BE A MECHANICAL FAILURE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.