# NTSB CEN09CA497: unknown kit, Abbeville, LA, August 5, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 5, 2009, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Abbeville, LA - Coordinates: 29.989721, -92.384719 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9897&lon=-92.3847&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74459 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA497 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74459/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74459 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA497 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/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: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The unregistered experimental, single-seat, amateur-built airplane crashed into an open field and came to rest inverted. The wood/fabric airplane had received extensive damage during the impact; it appeared that the airplane collided with terrain at a low speed and a high angle, and fuel was present on site. The private pilot received serious injuries during the crash. The pilot/owner had reportedly purchased the partly completed airplane approximately two years prior to the accident. The accident flight was the airplane's first flight. The pilot pre-flighted the airplane and then taxied up and down a private airstrip located near his residence. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that shortly after takeoff the airplane's engine began to "sputter." The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a nearby airstrip; however, the airplane stalled and impacted a field just short of the airstrip. ## Factual narrative The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who responded to an aircraft accident, reported that he found an unregistered, experimental, single-seat, amateur-built airplane lying inverted in an open field. The wood/fabric airplane had received extensive damage during the impact, and the inspector reported that it appeared that the airplane collided with terrain at a low-speed, high-angle. He added that fuel was present on-site. The private pilot received serious injuries during the crash. The pilot had reportedly purchased the partly completed airplane approximately two years prior to the accident. The airplane had not flown before; when the private pilot decided to test fly the airplane. The pilot pre-flighted the airplane and then taxied the airplane up and down a private airstrip, located near the pilot's residence. The pilot reported to the FAA Inspector, that shortly after take-off, the airplane's engine began to "sputter". The pilot attempted a forced landing to a nearby airstrip; however, the airplane stalled and impacted a field just short of the airstrip. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNK (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: unknown kit - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: unknown - Airframe hours: 1 - Engines: Rotax 508 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Unknown - Departed: Kaplan, LA - Destination: Kaplan, LA - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: single; flight hours: 0 total, 1 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74459. 4.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320120&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies (item 2, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320075&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-Redacted.PDF - Photo: Aircraft (item 3, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320076&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Aircraft-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.