# Accident 20220521008999A: Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR, Lancaster, OH, May 21, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2022, 13:53 local time
- Place: Lancaster, OH
- Airport: Fairfield County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7085° N, 82.6039° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7085&lon=-82.6039&mi=10
- Aircraft: N503RK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N503RK-2025-03-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR (registry code 0600012, https://openairdocs.org/model/evektor-aerotechnik-sportstar) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 260 total, 29 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA241) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220521008999A

## Narrative

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

A PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WITH NO EIS HISTORY WAS TAKING OFF OUT OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY AIRPORT (LHQ), RUNWAY 28, IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN EVEKTOR SPORTSTAR, LITE SPORT AIRCRAFT.

DURING THE TAXI AND RUN UP HE INDICATED THAT HIS ?ENGINE WAS RUNNING NOMINAL OIL PRESSURE, SLIGHTLY COLD OIL TEMPERATURE, AND ENGINE TEMP WAS LOW TO NORMAL.?

HE INDICATED THAT HIS GROUND ROLL WAS FINE BUT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING IT?S TYPICAL POWER.  HE INDICATED THAT TAKEOFF CLIMB WAS SLOW.  HE ARRESTED HIS CLIMB TO GAIN AIRSPEED THEN INTENDING TO CLIMB OUT.  THE FLIGHTAWARE TRACK INDICATED THAT HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT.  AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP LOW POWER HE TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT.  JUST PRIOR TO TURNING INTO BASE LEG OF THE APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 28 THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT.  HE SET GLIDE SPEED AT 58 KTS AND POINTED TOWARDS THE ARRIVAL END OF RUNWAY 28.  THEN HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER.  AT THIS POINT HE REALIZED THAT HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY SO HE TURNED EAST AND MADE FOR AN OPEN FIELD.  THE PLANE DESCENDED NORMALLY AND REMAINED CONTROLLABLE THROUGHOUT.  HE WAS ABLE TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY LANDING CHECKLIST.  THE PLANE LANDED IN AN OPEN DIRT FIELD.  THE LANDING WAS HARD SHEARING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR INTO THE FUSELAGE.

## 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 ERA22LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA241), May 21, 2022: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar (N503RK), Lancaster, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper installation and subsequent failure of the pushrod O-rings, which resulted in failure of the No. 4 connecting rod due to oil starvation.

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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