# Incident 20240318003679I: Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12, Eugene, OR, March 18, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2024, 13:20 local time
- Place: Eugene, OR
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.0521° N, 123.0868° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Eugene, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0521&lon=-123.0868&mi=10
- Aircraft: N650AK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N650AK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Vans RV-12 (registry code 0690009, https://openairdocs.org/model/vans-rv-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS AIRCRAFT INC RV-12
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 624 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240318003679I

## Narrative

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

WHILE ON A RETURN FLIGHT FROM FLORENCE TO EUGENE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE DURING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT.  CONTACT ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.  ATC ADVISED CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS RETURNING TO FLORENCE.  PILOT ELECTED TO NOT ATTEMPT THAT RETURN FLIGHT INTO A HEADWIND FOR FLORENCE BUT CONTINUED EAST TOWARDS EUGENE.  SHORTLY AFTER THIS DECISION, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING SMOOTHLY.  THE PILOT CLIMBED TO AROUND 10,000' TO PROVIDE MORE OPTIONS WHILE CROSSING THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  AS THE PILOT CROSSED THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE MOUNTAINS INTO THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN.  THE PILOT UPDATED ATC ON HIS STATUS.  THEY ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO EUGENE IF ABLE.  THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN SMOOTHLY A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER.  THE PILOT LANDED IN EUGENE WITHOUT INCIDENT.  THE PILOT AND A MECHANINC PERFORMED AN INDEPTH ASSESSMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM.  NO WATER WAS PRESENT AND NO ANOMOLIES WERE FOUND.  THE PILOT HAS SINCE FLOWN THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 5 HOURS LOCALLY AROUND THE EUGENE AREA WITHOUT ANY ENGINE ANOMOLIES.

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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