What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft privacy data omitted was on a multi-day ferry flight from spanish fork, ut with final destination of ffz. Aircraft had remained overnight in st. george, ut on 09/05/2023 as a result of a 200 RPM drop during magneto checks during run-up. On 09/06/2023 the aircraft was inspected by a local mechanic with no fault detected, spark plugs cleaned, operational check completed and aircraft was cleared to fly/ return to service.
PIC elected to depart st. george, ut to continue to ffz. Approximately 1 hour into the flight the aircraft experienced a magneto system failure which led to a complete power loss. PIC identified a landing spot, maneuvering as required while running checklists and making emergency calls on 121.5. PIC was able to subsequently land the aircraft on interstate 17 between sunset point, AZ and cordes junction, AZ.
Upon successful landing, PIC was able to move the aircraft onto the shoulder of the highway without disruption to traffic.
No aircraft damage was noted on landing. Aircraft was retrieved and transported by truck to ffz.
Inpection by mechanic revealed a failed magneto system that caused both circuits to fail. The result was a complete failure of the ignition system leading to the loss of power. Magneto system is bendix single-drive system part number-
Pn D4RN-3000 10-682555-14. Part replaced with refurbished unit.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON A MULTI-DAY FERRY FLIGHT FROM SPANISH FORK, UT WITH FINAL DESTINATION OF FFZ. AIRCRAFT HAD REMAINED OVERNIGHT IN ST. GEORGE, UT ON 09/05/2023 AS A RESULT OF A 200 RPM DROP DURING MAGNETO CHECKS DURING RUN-UP. ON 09/06/2023 THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC WITH NO FAULT DETECTED, SPARK PLUGS CLEANED, OPERATIONAL CHECK COMPLETED AND AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO FLY/ RETURN TO SERVICE.
PIC ELECTED TO DEPART ST. GEORGE, UT TO CONTINUE TO FFZ. APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A MAGNETO SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH LED TO A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. PIC IDENTIFIED A LANDING SPOT, MANEUVERING AS REQUIRED WHILE RUNNING CHECKLISTS AND MAKING EMERGENCY CALLS ON 121.5. PIC WAS ABLE TO SUBSEQUENTLY LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON INTERSTATE 17 BETWEEN SUNSET POINT, AZ AND CORDES JUNCTION, AZ.
UPON SUCCESSFUL LANDING, PIC WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC.
NO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON LANDING. AIRCRAFT WAS RETRIEVED AND TRANSPORTED BY TRUCK TO FFZ.
INPECTION BY MECHANIC REVEALED A FAILED MAGNETO SYSTEM THAT CAUSED BOTH CIRCUITS TO FAIL. THE RESULT WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM LEADING TO THE LOSS OF POWER. MAGNETO SYSTEM IS BENDIX SINGLE-DRIVE SYSTEM PART NUMBER-
PN D4RN-3000 10-682555-14. PART REPLACED WITH REFURBISHED UNIT.