20220302003579A

ON MARCH 2, 2022, ABOUT 1658 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN EXTRA NG, N100NG, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY BEEN IMPORTED FROM GERMANY, INTO THE UNITED STATES TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROVIDES MAINTENANCE AND FINAL ASSEMBLY OF THE AIRPLANE.

THE AIRPLANE, A FLIGHT OF TWO WERE PERFORMING COMPETENCY TRAINING FROM KEYSTONE HEIGHTS AIRPORT (K42J), WHEN N100NG, EXPERIENCED ENGINE LOW RPM, FOLLOWED BY WHITE SMOKE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED TRAILING FROM THE ENGINE. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT REPORTED THE EMERGENCY, SQUAWKING LOW ENGINE RPM?S. TRANSPONDER HITS SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT AT 4 MILES OUT AT 178 KTS, AND DESCENDING 300 FEET PER MINUTE. FURTHER TRACKS INDICTED WHEN CLOSER TO SGJ, HAD THE AIRCRAFT AT 1800 FEET AT A RATE OF DESCEND OF 500 FEET PER MINUTE. ADDITIONAL TRANSPONDER HITS SHOW SIMILAR FINDINGS AND FINALLY PRIOR TO LANDING SHE WAS TRAVELING AT 181 KTS, AT 650 FEET WITH A DESCEND RATE OF 3000 FEET PER MINUTE. ON FINAL SHE WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 13, TRACKING SHOWS HER SPEED WAS IN AN EXCESS OF 190 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE, BUT BOUNCED BACK UP AND THEN EXITED INTO THE MARSH AREA FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND WENT INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED INTACT.

FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT & ENGINE WRECKAGE WAS DOCUMENTED AS SUCH. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS BY MOVEMENT OF THE JOYSTICK. ABOUT 3-4 GALLONS OF AVIATION 100LL FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE CENTER TANK, AND ABOUT 4-5 GALLONS FROM EACH WING TANK. TWO OF THE THREE PROPELLER COMPOSITE BLADES WERE FRACTURED OFF AT THE HUB. THE IGNITION KEY WAS IN THE BOTH POSITION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS LOCKED INTO THE CENTER POSITION. THE ENGINE WAS FURTHER EXAMINED AT THE RECOVERY FACILITY. BOTH MAGNETOS WERE REMOVED AND SPUN BY AN ELECTRIC DRILL. BOTH MAGNETOS SPARKED ON ALL LEADS. THE PROPELLER WAS ROTATED BY HAND AND ENGINE CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE REAR ACCESSORY CASE. THUMB COMPRESSION WAS ESTABLISHED ON ALL CYLINDERS. THE NO. 4 CYLINDER HAD LOW COMPRESSION AND SUCTION.

THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR KNOB WAS MOVED BACK AND FORTH AND MOVED SMOOTHLY. HOWEVER; IT WAS NOTED THAT WHEN THE PROP KNOB WAS PUSHED FULL FORWARD, THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR ACTUATOR ARM WOULD NOT MOVE FULL FORWARD TO THE LEVER STOP. IT WAS MEASURED TO BE ABOUT 3/8-1/2? OFF THE STOP. THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR CABLE HAD SEVERAL INCHES OF FLEX WHEN MOVED TO THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. THIS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PROPELLER TO BE IN THE HIGH RPM LOW BLADE ANGLE POSITION. THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR WAS THEN REMOVED AND ROTATED BY HAND. OIL WAS OBSERVED TO BE FLOWING PROPERLY THROUGH THE GOVERNOR.

THE MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED AND ROTATED BY HAND. SUCTION AND PRESSURE WAS FELT AT THE HOSE CONNECTIONS. A 12V SOURCE WAS APPLIED TO THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND THE PUMP ROTATED NORMALLY. THE THROTTLE BODY FUEL FILTER WAS REMOVED AND WAS CLEAN AND CLEAR OF DEBRIS. THE DIAPHRAGM OF THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CLEAR AND CLEAN OF DEBRIS WITH NO TEARS. THE FUEL NOZZLES WERE CLEAR AND CLEAN OF DEBRIS. THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER WAS CLEAN AND CLEAR OF DEBRIS. A BORESCOPE OF ALL CYLINDERS, VALVES, AND PISTONS, WERE PERFORMED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED AND THE REPORT AMENDED AS REQUIRED.