20200921015039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Rockwell International S-2R · Hamilton, GA · September 21, 2020

Date: September 21, 2020 · 09:39 local
Place: Hamilton, GA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7900V
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20LA328
Reported as: Rockwell International S-2R
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,600 total1,200 in this make and model340 in the last 90 days

N7900VRegistration cancelled Dec 3, 2020 · Rockwell International S-2RS/N 2324R Airframe modelRockwell International S-2R

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.

Although the pilots total time in make/model is extensive, the pilot had never operated this make/model with a radial engine.

The pilot decided to fly the aircraft with a known inoperative fuel quantity system and stated he never looks at the fuel quantity systems anyway because they all don't work.

The aircraft engine lost power. The pilot landed the aircraft in a field and impacted the terrain, which included previously felled timber. At the accident scene, the fuel tanks were empty and did not appear compromised. Fuel leaks were not observed or reported. The structural damage classifies the aircraft as destroyed.

Prior to the intended flight, the fuel quantity system was inoperative. The left magneto was rendered inoperative due to being continuously grounded through an improperly crimped splice and shielded wire. The engine and propeller configuration is not approved for installation on this aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

ALTHOUGH THE PILOTS TOTAL TIME IN MAKE/MODEL IS EXTENSIVE, THE PILOT HAD NEVER OPERATED THIS MAKE/MODEL WITH A RADIAL ENGINE.

THE PILOT DECIDED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEM AND STATED HE NEVER LOOKS AT THE FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEMS ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY ALL DON'T WORK.

THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, WHICH INCLUDED PREVIOUSLY FELLED TIMBER. AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND DID NOT APPEAR COMPROMISED. FUEL LEAKS WERE NOT OBSERVED OR REPORTED. THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CLASSIFIES THE AIRCRAFT AS DESTROYED.

PRIOR TO THE INTENDED FLIGHT, THE FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS RENDERED INOPERATIVE DUE TO BEING CONTINUOUSLY GROUNDED THROUGH AN IMPROPERLY CRIMPED SPLICE AND SHIELDED WIRE. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER CONFIGURATION IS NOT APPROVED FOR INSTALLATION ON THIS AIRCRAFT.

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 ERA20LA328Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportHamilton, GAThe pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and improper operation of the engine beyond its indicated maximum cruise power setting, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Sep 21, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7900V · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20030610019669ILow Level Operations · Warroad, MN(-23) Pilot was conducting ag operations in 12 acre field 3 miles west of Warroad, MN. The aircraft was headed in a nw direction when it struck a wire located over the end of the triangular field. There were no poles in the field. The wire was broken. There…Jun 10, 2003 · Minor damage