# NTSB CEN09CA455: Forster SA-300, N7BT, Iowa City, IA, July 22, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 22, 2009, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Iowa City, IA - Coordinates: 41.639446, -91.548057 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6394&lon=-91.5481&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 74342 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA455 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74342/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74342 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA455 ## Probable cause the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Forster SA-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=86601MW), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Forster SA-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=86601MW), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Forster SA-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=86601MW), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Forster SA-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=86601MW), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Forster SA-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=86601MW), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was en route to the destination airport when the airplane engine lost power, regained power, and then lost power again. The pilot said that he placed the mixture control in the full rich position, turned on the electric fuel pump, and moved the throttle control, but the engine did not regain power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a corn field when the airplane struck two traffic signs that were adjacent to the field, substantially damaging the airplane wings. The pilot was uninjured. Inspection of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot was en route to the destination airport when the airplane engine lost power, regained power, and then lost power again. The pilot said that he then placed the mixture control in the full rich position, turned on the electric fuel pump, and moved the throttle control, but the engine still did not regain power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a corn field and the airplane struck two traffic signs on roll out that were adjacent to the field, substantially damaging the wings. The pilot was uninjured. Inspection of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7BT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7BT-2018-01-25), registration cancelled 2018-01-25, S/N 100, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Forster SA-300 - Registry model: [Forster SA-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/forster-sa-300) (registry code 86601MW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 100 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Ronald Miller - Registered owner: Steven Hartley - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: GGI, Grinnell, IA - Destination: Long Island, NY - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 26, 2009; seat: rear; flight hours: 6,200 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20090722012289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090722012289A), Jul 22, 2009: Amtr SA300, Iowa City, IA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot had departed grinnell, IA enroute to long island, NY. Pilot reported engine problems in the Iowa City, IA area and tried several times to restart… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74342. 479 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 479 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318254&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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.