What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 11, 2019, at approximately 1800HRS CDT, N582L, a Challenger II experimental / amateur built airplane, impacted terrain after a loss of engine power. The accident site was approximately 3 miles west- north west of shawnee field (1I3). The aircraft was being operated by the owner (a student pilot) under the provisions of 14 CFR 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot suffered serious injuries.
Post-accident investigation revealed the aircraft came to rest in a level field approximately 900 feet south of co rd 300 n and 600 w Switz City, IN. Further investigation showed the aircraft controls were intact. There was fuel leaking from the fuel tank. There was fuel present at both carburetors. The oil injection tank was ¾ full. The propeller and propeller drive was intact. There was no damage to the propeller blades, consistent with engine stoppage. Cause for engine failure is unknown at this time.
The pilot states that during a proficiency flight the engine suddenly quit running. The pilot followed the engine failure checklist. When he attempted to restart the engine, it would not turn over as if it were seized. At this point, he prepared for a ?dead stick? Off-field landing in a level, barren, farm field. The student pilot misjudged the intended touchdown point, subsequently he touched down 20 feet perpendicular from a raised roadbed. As the aircraft transitioned the road, the nose gear collapsed. Upon crossing the road, the nose of the aircraft plowed into the soft dirt flipping the aircraft over onto its back. The pilot suffered a broken left femur.
The NTSB, a representative for Rotax engines, and a representative from the FAA are scheduled to perform a diagnostic engine teardown on July 19th, 2019. This report may be amended following the outcome of the engine inspection.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 11, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1800HRS CDT, N582L, A CHALLENGER II EXPERIMENTAL / AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES WEST- NORTH WEST OF SHAWNEE FIELD (1I3). THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER (A STUDENT PILOT) UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES.
POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A LEVEL FIELD APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET SOUTH OF CO RD 300 N AND 600 W SWITZ CITY, IN. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS WERE INTACT. THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THERE WAS FUEL PRESENT AT BOTH CARBURETORS. THE OIL INJECTION TANK WAS ¾ FULL. THE PROPELLER AND PROPELLER DRIVE WAS INTACT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER BLADES, CONSISTENT WITH ENGINE STOPPAGE. CAUSE FOR ENGINE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
THE PILOT STATES THAT DURING A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING. THE PILOT FOLLOWED THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AS IF IT WERE SEIZED. AT THIS POINT, HE PREPARED FOR A ?DEAD STICK? OFF-FIELD LANDING IN A LEVEL, BARREN, FARM FIELD. THE STUDENT PILOT MISJUDGED THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, SUBSEQUENTLY HE TOUCHED DOWN 20 FEET PERPENDICULAR FROM A RAISED ROADBED. AS THE AIRCRAFT TRANSITIONED THE ROAD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. UPON CROSSING THE ROAD, THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PLOWED INTO THE SOFT DIRT FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT SUFFERED A BROKEN LEFT FEMUR.
THE NTSB, A REPRESENTATIVE FOR ROTAX ENGINES, AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FAA ARE SCHEDULED TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC ENGINE TEARDOWN ON JULY 19TH, 2019. THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED FOLLOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE ENGINE INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.