# Accident 20220722012929A: Black Star Aviation LLC RV10, Beaver Dam, WI, July 22, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2022, 16:47 local time
- Place: Beaver Dam, WI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.4831° N, 88.8278° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4831&lon=-88.8278&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4400K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4400K-2024-01-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Black Star RV10 (registry code 05639WF, https://openairdocs.org/model/black-star-rv10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming YIO-540 SERIE (registry code 41779, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-yio-540-serie) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BLACK STAR AVIATION LLC RV10
- Reported engine: LYCOMING YIO-540 SERIE
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 783 total, 200 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA334) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220722012929A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 22, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:45 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A RV10 EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, ON A PART 91 VFR FLIGHT LANDED IN A SOCCER FIELD ON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE EAST DIRECTION. THE PILOT REPORTED, ?WHILE FLYING LEVEL AT 1800 FT, WE ALL HEARD A VERY LOUD POP IN THE ENGINE AREA, IMMEDIATELY WE HAD SMOKE FILL THE COCKPIT. I NOTICED A SOCCER FIELD JUST TO MY LEFT AND INSTANTLY TURNED TOWARD IT. I MADE A DECISION TO BE COMMITTED TO LANDING IN THAT FIELD. I MADE PITCH ADJUSTMENTS TO ASSURE ENOUGH DISTANCE TO THE HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WITHOUT STALLING. AFTER LANDING SUCCESSFULLY, I STRUCK A SOCCER GOAL WITH MY RIGHT WING. THE GOAL POST PULLED US VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT AND PULLED US IN THE DIRECTION OF A PORT-A-JOHN AND A STREET LIGHT. AFTER STRIKING THE LIGHT POLE WE CAME TO A STOP WITH THE PORT-A-JOHN UNDER THE LEFT WING.?

EVIDENCE OF GROUND SCARS IN THE SOCCER FIELD INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT LANDING AND STRIKING THE GOAL POST, LIGHT POLE AND PORTA-JOHN. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DAMAGE ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE CONSISTENT WITH STRIKING THE ITEMS ON LANDING.

AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH WING. THE FUEL WAS BLUE IN COLOR, CLEAR WITH NO WATER NOTED.

INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOUND THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER LOWER PLUG WIRE NOT CONNECTED TO THE NUMBER 6 SPARK PLUG, AND THE RUBBER BOOT HANGING DOWN RESTING AGAINST THE EXHAUST TUBES BELOW THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER. TWO BURN MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE SPARK PLUG BOOT.

THE ENGINE PROPELLER WAS PULLED THROUGH 2 ROTATIONS OPPOSITE OF NORMAL ROTATION FOR A QUICK CHECK OF COMPRESSION. NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. FURTHER ENGINE INVESTIGATION IS PENDING.

THE PILOT NOTED IN VERBAL CONVERSATION THAT HE DID NOT CHECK HIS GAUGES FOR ANOMALIES, AND DID NOT VERIFY IF HE HAD ENGINE POWER TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT.

THE WIND WAS SW AT 9 MPH AND VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.

## 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 CEN22LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA334), Jul 22, 2022: Van's RV-10 (N4400K), Beaver Dam, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improperly secured spark plug boot that resulted in smoke in the cockpit and a subsequent off-airport landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.