20250904021169I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cowley Jason RANS DESIGNS S-21 · Lee'S Summit, MO · September 4, 2025

Date
September 4, 2025 · 10:15 local
Place
Lee'S Summit, MO
Airport
Lee'S Summit Municipal
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N340JH
Reported as
Cowley Jason Rans Designs S-21
Reported engine
Continental IOX340 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot experienced an in-flight engine failure shortly after departure from runway 36. The aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 450 feet AGL on initial climb after takeoff when the engine ceased operation completely. Upon experiencing the engine failure, the pilot executed the engine failure checklist protocol, which included: verification of master and ignition switches, operation of the boost pump, adjustment of throttle and fuel mixture, activation of ignition backup battery. Despite these efforts, the engine did not respond. The pilot initiated a right bank maneuver with the intention of landing on runway 18 or returning to runway 36. However, due to the aircraft's speed and altitude, the descent rate increased rapidly resulting in a hard landing off the intended runway.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 36. THE AIRCRAFT HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET AGL ON INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATION COMPLETELY. UPON EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT EXECUTED THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST PROTOCOL, WHICH INCLUDED: VERIFICATION OF MASTER AND IGNITION SWITCHES, OPERATION OF THE BOOST PUMP, ADJUSTMENT OF THROTTLE AND FUEL MIXTURE, ACTIVATION OF IGNITION BACKUP BATTERY. DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT BANK MANEUVER WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING ON RUNWAY 18 OR RETURNING TO RUNWAY 36. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S SPEED AND ALTITUDE, THE DESCENT RATE INCREASED RAPIDLY RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING OFF THE INTENDED RUNWAY.