20211014017549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Corella Neil G LANCAIR ESP · Lowell, OR · October 14, 2021

Date: October 14, 2021 · 06:15 local
Place: Lowell, OR
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N511ZZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR22LA019
Reported as: Corella Neil G Lancair ESP
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-550 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 625 total

N511ZZRegistered now · Corella Neil G LANCAIR ESPS/N ESP-208-10 Airframe modelCorella Neil G LANCAIR ESP Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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.

Aircraft was descending to destination airport along route of flight in VFR conditions when pilot noticed a deceleration of the aircraft and heard several loud pops. Pilot attempted troubleshooting and restart with no success. Elected to deploy aircraft parachute. Upon descending into tree canopy the tail broke off and flew about 75 feet forward of where the aircaft settled on the forest floor.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING TO DESTINATION AIRPORT ALONG ROUTE OF FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN PILOT NOTICED A DECELERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HEARD SEVERAL LOUD POPS. PILOT ATTEMPTED TROUBLESHOOTING AND RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS. ELECTED TO DEPLOY AIRCRAFT PARACHUTE. UPON DESCENDING INTO TREE CANOPY THE TAIL BROKE OFF AND FLEW ABOUT 75 FEET FORWARD OF WHERE THE AIRCAFT SETTLED ON THE FOREST FLOOR.

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 WPR22LA019Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportFall Creek, ORTotal loss of engine power due to fatigue failure of the camshaft gear.Oct 15, 2021 · Substantial damage