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20230904022379A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Norris Brown RV-14A · East Bernard, TX · September 4, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 4, 2023 · 12:20 local
Place
East Bernard, TX
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N14NP
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN23LA402
Reported as
Norris Brown RV-14A
Reported engine
Lycoming YIO-390
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
740 total
N14NPRegistered now · Norris Brown RV-14AS/N 140143 · Built 2017Airframe modelNorris Brown RV-14AEngine modelLycoming IO-390 seriesReciprocating

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 in cruise flight at 2500 feet when the left and right battery messages displayed intermittently on primary electronic flight information display. The pilot was troubleshooting the battery messages when the secondary electronic flight information display, global positioning system, radios, and transponder failed. The pilot turned 180 degrees to return to his home airport. The aircraft continued to run for approximately ten minutes before complete electrical power was lost. The loss of electrical power caused the electronic ignition and electric fuel pumps to stop functioning leading to loss of engine power, resulting in an off-airport landing. Left, right, and nose landing gear broke on impact and pushed into the lower fuselage. Damage to aircraft includes all 3 blades of propeller, the lower fuselage, flaps and left wing lower surface at pitot static probe. Post-accident inspection revealed the number 2 alternator belt was broken and found in the lower cowling. The number 1 alternator belt was securely attached. The aircraft has been transported to a shop for repairs. The engine will be sent out for overhaul. Troubleshooting of the alternator and the electrical system will be performed when the engine is reinstalled on the aircraft.

The aircraft records indicate that the last airframe condition inspection was completed at airframe total time: 523.7, on February 1, 2023. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 43.3 hours since the annual inspection.

When the NTSB report or any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2500 FEET WHEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT BATTERY MESSAGES DISPLAYED INTERMITTENTLY ON PRIMARY ELECTRONIC FLIGHT INFORMATION DISPLAY. THE PILOT WAS TROUBLESHOOTING THE BATTERY MESSAGES WHEN THE SECONDARY ELECTRONIC FLIGHT INFORMATION DISPLAY, GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM, RADIOS, AND TRANSPONDER FAILED. THE PILOT TURNED 180 DEGREES TO RETURN TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES BEFORE COMPLETE ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER CAUSED THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS TO STOP FUNCTIONING LEADING TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, RESULTING IN AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. LEFT, RIGHT, AND NOSE LANDING GEAR BROKE ON IMPACT AND PUSHED INTO THE LOWER FUSELAGE. DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT INCLUDES ALL 3 BLADES OF PROPELLER, THE LOWER FUSELAGE, FLAPS AND LEFT WING LOWER SURFACE AT PITOT STATIC PROBE. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE NUMBER 2 ALTERNATOR BELT WAS BROKEN AND FOUND IN THE LOWER COWLING. THE NUMBER 1 ALTERNATOR BELT WAS SECURELY ATTACHED. THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED TO A SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE ENGINE WILL BE SENT OUT FOR OVERHAUL. TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE ALTERNATOR AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL BE PERFORMED WHEN THE ENGINE IS REINSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT.

THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME CONDITION INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 523.7, ON FEBRUARY 1, 2023. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 43.3 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.

WHEN THE NTSB REPORT OR ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.

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 CEN23LA402Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportOrchard, TXThe failure of an alternator belt and the builder/previous owner’s incorrect electrical wiring of the airplane’s other alternator, which resulted in a total loss of electrical and engine power.Sep 4, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N14NP · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20181004019449ILanding: Rollout · Elk River, IDPilot landed on a grass runway at Elk River Idaho, when the nose gear collapsed. According to the pilot, the runway was extremely bumpy, and there was rocks on the runway. The nose gear folded backwards, allowing the prop to contact the ground. The damage was…Oct 4, 2018 · Minor damage