# NTSB ATL07LA112: Falcon Safety Craft Falcon XP, N223FS, Montgomery, NY, August 12, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 12, 2007, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Montgomery, NY - Coordinates: 41.506111, -74.258888 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5061&lon=-74.2589&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 66424 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL07LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66424/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL07LA112 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during initial climb for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined - maintenance,inspection - not performed, owner/pilot mechanic - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot of the amateur-built airplane stated that he took off and climbed to pattern altitude and said the engine went half power for about 5 seconds, then back to full power for 5 seconds, and then the engine went to "zero power." The airplane subsequently collided with trees during a forced landing. Examination of the engine found no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. The airplane had not operated in over a year and there was no current condition inspection on the airplane. ## Factual narrative On August 12, 2007, at 1430 eastern daylight time, a Falcon XP amateur-build experimental airplane, N223FS, collided with trees during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power after takeoff from the Orange County Airport (MGJ) in Montgomery, New York. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, during an interview in the hospital, that he was on runway 21, and was conducting what he termed as "test hops." When asked what he meant, he explained that he would go to takeoff power on the runway and lift off to an altitude of about 5 feet above ground level (AGL), then land on the runway and taxi back to do the same thing again. He stated he had done three or four of these "test hops" and was asked by the airport manager to not do any more on the main runway and to use the shorter runway (26) if he needed to continue. He said he would like to have performed many more "test hops" but that it was not practical on the shorter runway. He then took off to pattern altitude and said the engine went to half power for about 5 seconds, then back to full power for 5 seconds, and then the engine went to "zero power." The pilot executed a forced landing and collided with trees. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector found the left wing folded over and lying on the right wing. The fuselage came to rest on a tree limb, bowing the fuselage up under the first seat position. Examination of the engine found that when rotated, there was continuity through to the accessory section. Additionally, the airplane had not operated in over a year and there was no current condition inspection on the airplane. At the conclusion of the examination of the airframe and engine, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions were identified. The pilot, age 68, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, issued on December 4, 2001. He also had an expired third-class medical certificate, issued on February 28, 2000, with a restriction that he must wear corrective lenses, valid for student pilot purposes only, and other miscellaneous restrictions assigned. The pilot’s most recent medical certificate showed that he had accumulated 37 hours of total civilian flight time. The pilot’s logbook was requested but not provided. The pilot/owner was asked to provide the airplane’s logbooks. The pilot stated that if they were not in the airplane then he did not know were they were located. The airplane logbooks were not located in the airplane. The pilot/owner was sent a National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator report form 6120.1, but it had not been received at the time of this report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N223FS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N223FS-2017-07-18), registration cancelled 2017-07-18, S/N 600223, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Falcon Safety Craft Inc Falcon XP - Registry model: [Falcon Safety Craft FALCON XP](https://openairdocs.org/model/falcon-safety-craft-falcon-xp) (registry code 05658RW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 600223 - Engines: Rotax 503UL reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jeremiah Gerald Murphy - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: MGJ, Montgomery, NY - Destination: MGJ - Airport: MGJ, Orange County Airport, runway 26, 3,672 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: front; flight hours: 400 total, 100 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: MGJ, 2 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070812019469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070812019469A), Aug 12, 2007: Amtr FALCONXP, Montgomery, NY, Destroyed. (-23) Private pilot departed rnwy 26 @mgj in his expr'mntl amateur built a/c. climbing out at pattern alt. The engine experienced partial pwr for 5 sec., then… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.