What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 19, 2025, aircraft privacy data omitted, an experimental amateur-built aircraft, experienced a loss of engine power while performing touch-and-go maneuvers, resulting in a subsequent crash. The aircraft impacted a business's carport structure, sustaining substantial damage. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without injury. There was no post-crash fire.
In a written statement, the pilot indicated that prior to departing kdvt, the aircraft required a full-rich fuel mixture to idle smoothly, though he noted, "it is happier when leaned slightly." Following the crash, the pilot initially turned off the master switch and approximately 30 minutes later returned to the aircraft—verified by security camera footage—to turn off the fuel selector switch and saddle fuel tanks. Additionally, security camera footage indicates an unidentified individual from the fire department entered the cockpit area approximately 15 minutes post-crash, with their actions undetermined.
The aircraft was initially transported to the pilot's hangar at kdvt and later moved by the NTSB to a secure location for further examination. On April 30, 2025, representatives from the NTSB, FAA, and Lycoming conducted an examination of the engine and fuel system. Initial inspection revealed no fuel present in the gascolator or main fuel line. The engine exhibited good compression, correct timing, and spark plugs in satisfactory condition. Fuel was present in the saddle tanks and the belly-mounted acro tank; the wing tanks were empty. The saddle tank selector valves were found in the closed position, though it is unknown if they had been adjusted post-accident.
For the subsequent engine run test, fuel selector valves were repositioned to a known open configuration. The first two engine start attempts resulted in brief sputtering; the engine successfully started on the third attempt. Multiple throttle and fuel mixture settings were tested, with the engine operating normally throughout. Following the engine run, inspections confirmed adequate fuel supply in both the main fuel line and gascolator. The engine examination concluded thereafter.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 19, 2025, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GO MANEUVERS, RESULTING IN A SUBSEQUENT CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A BUSINESS'S CARPORT STRUCTURE, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.
IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO DEPARTING KDVT, THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRED A FULL-RICH FUEL MIXTURE TO IDLE SMOOTHLY, THOUGH HE NOTED, "IT IS HAPPIER WHEN LEANED SLIGHTLY." FOLLOWING THE CRASH, THE PILOT INITIALLY TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT—VERIFIED BY SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE—TO TURN OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH AND SADDLE FUEL TANKS. ADDITIONALLY, SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE INDICATES AN UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AREA APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES POST-CRASH, WITH THEIR ACTIONS UNDETERMINED.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS INITIALLY TRANSPORTED TO THE PILOT'S HANGAR AT KDVT AND LATER MOVED BY THE NTSB TO A SECURE LOCATION FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. ON APRIL 30, 2025, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NTSB, FAA, AND LYCOMING CONDUCTED AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM. INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED NO FUEL PRESENT IN THE GASCOLATOR OR MAIN FUEL LINE. THE ENGINE EXHIBITED GOOD COMPRESSION, CORRECT TIMING, AND SPARK PLUGS IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE SADDLE TANKS AND THE BELLY-MOUNTED ACRO TANK; THE WING TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE SADDLE TANK SELECTOR VALVES WERE FOUND IN THE CLOSED POSITION, THOUGH IT IS UNKNOWN IF THEY HAD BEEN ADJUSTED POST-ACCIDENT.
FOR THE SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN TEST, FUEL SELECTOR VALVES WERE REPOSITIONED TO A KNOWN OPEN CONFIGURATION. THE FIRST TWO ENGINE START ATTEMPTS RESULTED IN BRIEF SPUTTERING; THE ENGINE SUCCESSFULLY STARTED ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT. MULTIPLE THROTTLE AND FUEL MIXTURE SETTINGS WERE TESTED, WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING NORMALLY THROUGHOUT. FOLLOWING THE ENGINE RUN, INSPECTIONS CONFIRMED ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY IN BOTH THE MAIN FUEL LINE AND GASCOLATOR. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION CONCLUDED THEREAFTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.