# Accident 20240525007179A: Freeman STEEN SKYBOLT, Santa Maria, CA, May 25, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 2024, 17:21 local time
- Place: Santa Maria, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8606° N, 120.4508° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8606&lon=-120.4508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N873X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N873X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Freeman STEEN SKYBOLT (registry code 05655A1, https://openairdocs.org/model/freeman-steen-skybolt) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FREEMAN STEEN SKYBOLT
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 13,377 total, 2 in this make and model, 105 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA160) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240525007179A

## Narrative

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

THE PIC OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE HAD JUST BOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT IN LODI, CA AND WAS FLYING BACK TO HIS HANGER IN SANTA MARIA, CA (SMX). BEFORE DEPARTURE HE FILLED THE MAIN FUEL TANK FULL WITH 28 GALS. OF USUABLE FUEL. HE ESTIMATED HE WOULD NEED 20.3 GALS. AT 12 GPH TO REACH SMX AND WOULD HAVE 7.7 GALS. REMAINING UPON ARRIVING SMX. THE PIC MADE AN APPROACH TO SMX BUT WENT AROUND TO GET BETTER ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. ON THE 2ND APPROACH HE EXTENDED DOWNWIND A LITTLE TO GET A LONGER FINAL. WHEN HE TURNED BASE HE THROTTLED BACK FOR LANDING THEN THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. HE COULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY SO HE PICKED A FIELD CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT. ON FINAL FOR THE FIELD THE PIC HAD TO RAISE THE NOSE TO CLEAR A HILL, AFTER CLEARING THE HILL HE SAW POWER LINES AND PULLED THE NOSE UP TO CLEAR THE LINES. THE TAILWHEEL SNAGGED THE LINES, THE NOSE THEN PICHED SHAPLEY DOWN. THE TAILWHEEL BECAME CLEAR OF THE LINES THEN THE AIRPLANE FLEW THRU THE BRANCHES OF A TREE. IT THEN HIT THE GROUND NOSE STEEPLY DOWN THEN FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK AND STOPPED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND REMOVED HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE NTSB IS GOING TO HAVE THE ENGINE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE LOSS OF POWER.

## 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 WPR24LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA160), May 26, 2024: Steen Skybolt (N873X), Santa Maria, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power during approach for reasons that could not be determined.

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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