# Accident 20200814013179A: Siebel James A AURIGA, Rockford, IL, August 14, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2020, 11:45 local time
- Place: Rockford, IL
- Airport: Cottonwood
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2881° N, 89.1361° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2881&lon=-89.1361&mi=10
- Aircraft: N505JS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N505JS-2020-12-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Siebel James A AURIGA (registry code 05601IK, https://openairdocs.org/model/siebel-james-a-auriga) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SIEBEL JAMES A AURIGA
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 49 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA342) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200814013179A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 14, 2020, AT 1645 ZULU, AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT SIEBEL AURIGA AIRPLANE, N505JS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR COTTONWOOD AIRPORT IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE DRIVER OF AN AUTOMOBILE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PASSENGER OF THE AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.

THE PILOT REPORTED DEPARTING RUNWAY 18 AT COTTONWOOD AIRPORT (1C8), ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, AND CLIMBING NORTH OF THE AIRPORT INTENDING TO MONITOR ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURES AFTER MAKING CHANGES TO THE ENGINE COWLING TO INCREASE COOLING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 3,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF 1C8, THE ENGINE "SPUTTERED AND QUIT." THE PILOT CHANGED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT DID NOT SET UP FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED AND RATHER INCREASED SPEED AND DESCENT RATE WHILE MAKING A 180° COURSE REVERSAL TO FOR A STRAIGHT-IN EMERGENCY LANDING ON RUNWAY 18 AT 1C8. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIGH AND FAST ON APPROACH, AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORWARD SLIP MANEUVER TO LOSE ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL HIGH AND FAST DURING FINAL APPROACH AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED MIDFIELD. DESPITE USING MAXIMUM BRAKING, THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE END OF THE GRASS RUNWAY AT 1C8. AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT RAN THROUGH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE, AND AN EMBANKMENT WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ONTO AUBURN STREET WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY A SEDAN. THE AUTOMOBILE CAME TO REST ON TOP OF THE LEFT WING AFTER STRIKING THE FUSELAGE NEAR THE REAR WINDOW.

THE ENGINE, MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP, AND AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WERE REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND MOUNTED IN A TEST CELL WHERE IT WAS RUN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE TEST RUNS DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION. THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP FUNCTIONED, BUT THE OUTPUT PRESSURE WAS BELOW THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S MINIMUM SPECIFICATION. ADDITIONAL EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS, FUEL TANK VENTS, FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE, FUEL STRAINER ASSEMBLY, P-LEADS, AND IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY ANOMALIES OR FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL ENGINE OPERATION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED ON THE FLIGHT WITH 45 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND THAT HE OBSERVED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## 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 CEN20LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA342), Aug 14, 2020: Siebel Auriga (N505JS), Rockford, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information.

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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