What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 9, 2020, about 0914 eastern standard time, a vans aircraft RV-6A, N196DJ, sustained substantial damage after an uncommanded engine shoutdown forced a landing on Melbourne Beach Florida. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. The special airworthiness certificate, an experimental operating amateur-built aircraft was issued October 20, 1996.
The aircraft departed valkaria (X59) on runway 10 at approximately 0800 with the pilot/owner and one passenger onboard. According to the pilot the aircraft made six landings on runway 14 and proceeded east to an offshore practice area at 1500 feet MSL. The engine started running rough and the mixture was increased in an attempt to correct the problem. The engine then shuddered and came to a hard stop, the propeller vertical and not wind milling. A restart of the engine was attempted and unsuccessful. Aircraft made a forced landing on Melbourne Beach and flipped upside down. Minor injuries were reported for the passenger.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 9, 2020, ABOUT 0914 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A VANS AIRCRAFT RV-6A, N196DJ, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER AN UNCOMMANDED ENGINE SHOUTDOWN FORCED A LANDING ON MELBOURNE BEACH FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AN EXPERIMENTAL OPERATING AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS ISSUED OCTOBER 20, 1996.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED VALKARIA (X59) ON RUNWAY 10 AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 WITH THE PILOT/OWNER AND ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRCRAFT MADE SIX LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 14 AND PROCEEDED EAST TO AN OFFSHORE PRACTICE AREA AT 1500 FEET MSL. THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THE MIXTURE WAS INCREASED IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE THEN SHUDDERED AND CAME TO A HARD STOP, THE PROPELLER VERTICAL AND NOT WIND MILLING. A RESTART OF THE ENGINE WAS ATTEMPTED AND UNSUCCESSFUL. AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON MELBOURNE BEACH AND FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN. MINOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED FOR THE PASSENGER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.