20180607007249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Van'S RV-4 · Butler, PA · June 7, 2018

Date: June 7, 2018 · 11:00 local
Place: Butler, PA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7765X
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18LA163
Reported as: Van'S RV-4
Reported engine: General Motors L-61
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 412 total

N7765XRegistration cancelled Jul 31, 2021 · Axelrad Michael R VANS AIRCRAFT RV-4S/N 3890 · Built 2015 Airframe modelAxelrad Michael R VANS AIRCRAFT RV-4 Engine modelGM ECO TEC 2.4LReciprocating

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.

During climbout from kbtp, engine lost power. Pilot located a field and landed striking a fence and brush. Engine was automotive and had previous history of loss of engine power/piston burn through, cooling problems, and starting problems. This was the first flight after all four pistons were replaced. Pilot stated that the fuel computer was programmed with software that he authored and he changed the fuel mapping schedule. The pilot stated that this resulted in a mixture that was too lean.

Damage consisted of: impact damage to leading edge of right wing (midspan 15 inches rearward and approximately 12 inches wide), impact damage to left wing tip. Main gear bent rearward and it appears to have impacted lower wing surface. Strong odor of fuel present.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CLIMBOUT FROM KBTP, ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT LOCATED A FIELD AND LANDED STRIKING A FENCE AND BRUSH. ENGINE WAS AUTOMOTIVE AND HAD PREVIOUS HISTORY OF LOSS OF ENGINE POWER/PISTON BURN THROUGH, COOLING PROBLEMS, AND STARTING PROBLEMS. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER ALL FOUR PISTONS WERE REPLACED. PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL COMPUTER WAS PROGRAMMED WITH SOFTWARE THAT HE AUTHORED AND HE CHANGED THE FUEL MAPPING SCHEDULE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS RESULTED IN A MIXTURE THAT WAS TOO LEAN.

DAMAGE CONSISTED OF: IMPACT DAMAGE TO LEADING EDGE OF RIGHT WING (MIDSPAN 15 INCHES REARWARD AND APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES WIDE), IMPACT DAMAGE TO LEFT WING TIP. MAIN GEAR BENT REARWARD AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE IMPACTED LOWER WING SURFACE. STRONG ODOR OF FUEL PRESENT.

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 ERA18LA163Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportButler, PAThe pilot's improper decision to fly the airplane with a known engine problem and his improper modification of the engine control unit fuel delivery software, which led to the engine running too lean and resulted in a total loss of engine power during climb.Jun 7, 2018 · Substantial damage