# Accident 20190530017719A: Lancair Company LC41-550FG, Cleburn, TX, May 30, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 30, 2019, 09:59 local time
- Place: Cleburn, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3903° N, 97.4336° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3903&lon=-97.4336&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2514F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2514F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lancair LC41-550FG (registry code 5150001, https://openairdocs.org/model/lancair-lc41-550fg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-550 series (registry code 17043, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LANCAIR COMPANY LC41-550FG
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-550 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 20,019 total, 164 in this make and model, 233 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN19LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA159) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190530017719A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT WAS MAKING A MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT DUE TO MAINTENANCE CHANGE OF A NUMBER 5 ENGINE CYLINDER. THE PILOT DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN A POST MAINTENANCE GROUND ENGINE RUN. HE DID CONDUCT A FULL POWER RUN UP PRIOR TO FLIGHT AND FOUND NO ISSUES. HE ALSO DID A COMPLETE WALK AROUND AND ADDED TWO QUARTS OF OIL AS PART OF HIS PREFLIGHT.

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT GKY AND HEADED SOUTH/EAST. THE PILOT WAS MONITORING ALL INSTRUMENTATION WITH NO ISSUES NOTED, THE ENGINE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.  APPROXIMATELY 12 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER THE PILOT NOTED THE PRESSURE INDICATION WAS STILL IN THE GREEN ARC. THE PILOT TERMINATED THE MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT AND TURNED TO RETURN TO GKY. HE FELT IT WAS AN INSTRUMENTATION ISSUE AS NO OTHER PROBLEMS WERE NOTED AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SMOOTH. AT THIS TIME HE FOCUSED ON MONITORING THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENTATION AND FLYING THE AIRCRAFT. OIL TEMP WAS STEADY, OIL PRESSURE WAS STEADY AND IN THE GREEN ARC BUT THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATION STARTED TO DROP. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO SPINKS AIRPORT FWS. AT THIS TIME THE OIL TEMPERATURE STARTED DROPPING. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE COUGHED AND STARTED SMOKING AT WHICH POINT THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AS THE ENGINE WAS NOT MAKING POWER. THE PILOT STARTED SCANNING FOR AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT THE PILOT NOTED HE COULD NOT DIAL THE PROPELLER BACK TO HIGH PITCH AS IT WAS UNCONTROLLABLE (NO OIL PRESSURE). THE PROP WAS RUNNING AWAY AT 2780 RPM (MAX OF 2600) AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. THE PILOT SPOTTED A CLOSED GRASS STRIP ADJACENT TO HIGHWAY 174 WITH AN OPEN CORN FIELD SLIGHTLY BEYOND AND DECIDED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN THERE. WHILE SCANNING FOR CLEARANCE HE NOTICED HIGH TENSION POWER LINES VERY CLOSE TO HIS POSITION AND HIS AIRCRAFT SINK HAD INCREASED. HE FELT HE COULD NOT SAFELY FLY OVER THE POWER LINES AND MADE THE DECISION TO FLY UNDER THE POWER LINES FOR CLEARANCE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SMALL TREES APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET OFF THE GROUND, ONE WHICH SHEARED OFF APPROXIMATELY 5 FOOT OF THE RIGHT HAND WING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL STOCK POND THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET DEEP. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRICAL AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WADDED TO SHORE. ONLY INJURY NOTED IS MINOR DISCOMFORT IN HIS RIGHT SHOULDER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN19LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA159), May 30, 2019: Lancair LC41 (N2514F), Cleburne, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to oil starvation as the result of the oil pressure switch failure due to a manufacturing defect.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.