What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the morning of 08/08/2025 an amateur build kit fox was practicing touch and goes at 50S airport in Parma Idaho. While in approach phase, the pilot had completed the downwind leg and had turned onto the base leg when the engine abruptly quit and went silent. He estimated the failure occurred just prior to turning final at an altitude of a few hundred feet above the ground. At the time of the failure, the engine had been set at approximately 3,000 RPM, which the pilot had found to provide an appropriate descent rate. Pilot reported that the engine was not idling and was operating normally until the power loss. When the engine quit, pilot applied throttle, but no power was produced, and the engine stopped completely. Pilot did not recall any sputtering or unusual sounds before the loss of power.
With only a few seconds to respond, the pilot selected a nearby pasture for obstacle avoidance. After making contact with the ground at approximately 527 yards from the end of the runway, the nose landing gear bent up and back. The propellers and hub made contact with the ground sheering the 3 blades from the hub and gouging approximately 3 inches into the ground. The aircraft began to flip over the nose and slide inverted and backwards. The aircraft came to rest at approximately 42 feet from the initial impact zone.
During investigation, it was determined that both ignition systems failed to provide adequate spark for sustained engine operation.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE MORNING OF 08/08/2025 AN AMATEUR BUILD KIT FOX WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES AT 50S AIRPORT IN PARMA IDAHO. WHILE IN APPROACH PHASE, THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED THE DOWNWIND LEG AND HAD TURNED ONTO THE BASE LEG WHEN THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT AND WENT SILENT. HE ESTIMATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED JUST PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL AT AN ALTITUDE OF A FEW HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE HAD BEEN SET AT APPROXIMATELY 3,000 RPM, WHICH THE PILOT HAD FOUND TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE DESCENT RATE. PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT IDLING AND WAS OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL THE POWER LOSS. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, PILOT APPLIED THROTTLE, BUT NO POWER WAS PRODUCED, AND THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. PILOT DID NOT RECALL ANY SPUTTERING OR UNUSUAL SOUNDS BEFORE THE LOSS OF POWER.
WITH ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO RESPOND, THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY PASTURE FOR OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 527 YARDS FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BENT UP AND BACK. THE PROPELLERS AND HUB MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND SHEERING THE 3 BLADES FROM THE HUB AND GOUGING APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO FLIP OVER THE NOSE AND SLIDE INVERTED AND BACKWARDS. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT APPROXIMATELY 42 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT ZONE.
DURING INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH IGNITION SYSTEMS FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SPARK FOR SUSTAINED ENGINE OPERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.