# Accident 20230120001409A: World Aircraft Co WA-3, Shreveport, LA, January 20, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 20, 2023, 16:33 local time
- Place: Shreveport, LA
- Airport: Shreveport Downtown
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.5458° N, 93.7503° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5458&lon=-93.7503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N71SN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71SN-2023-05-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: World WA-3 (registry code 06001AM, https://openairdocs.org/model/world-wa-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS2 (registry code 55599, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WORLD AIRCRAFT CO WA-3
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 365 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA087) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230120001409A

## Narrative

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

AN EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT (ELSA), MODEL WA-3, DEPARTED THE SHREVEPORT, LA DOWNTOWN (KDTN) AIRPORT TO CONDUCT PATTERN WORK.  AFTER A NORMAL ENGINE RUN-UP AND SYSTEMS CHECK, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 14 AND WAS TOLD BY ATC TO UTILIZE A LEFT PATTERN APPROACH.  THE PILOT PERFORMED A NORMAL TAKE-OFF AND REACHED DECISION HEIGHT ON HIS DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.  WHEN ABEAM THE NUMBERS, THE PILOT REDUCED THROTTLE AND NOTICED THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND FELT VIBRATION.  THE PILOT INCREASED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT AND THE VIBRATION WENT AWAY.  THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC OF HIS BASE TURN, THEN REDUCED THROTTLE, AND TURNED FOR FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14.  WHILE DESCENDING FROM 400 TO 300 FEET ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE PILOT OBSERVED A “LOW RPM WARNING” INDICATION.  THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY INCREASED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE DIED COMPLETELY.  THE PILOT QUICKLY ASSESSED THE SITUATION AND ATTEMPTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL ENGINE RESTART.  THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, THEN LEVELED OUT BEFORE IMPACTING RUNWAY 14.  THE ENGINE POWER LOSS AND INFLIGHT SHUTDOWN CONTRIBUTED TO THE ELSA’S HARD LANDING WITH THE NOSE AND RH MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSING AT 1633CST/2233Z.

## 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 CEN23LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA087), Jan 20, 2023: World WA-3 (N71SN), Shreveport, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

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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