# NTSB CEN09CA563: Halbert James H Rans S-7, N615JH, Short, OK, September 6, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 6, 2009, 18:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place: Short, OK
- Coordinates: 35.586944, -94.474998 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5869&lon=-94.4750&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report December 29, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74664
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA563
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74664/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74664
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA563

## Probable cause

A partial 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: [Halbert James H RANS S-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05605AB), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Halbert James H RANS S-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=05605AB), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Halbert James H RANS S-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05605AB), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Halbert James H RANS S-7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05605AB), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The sport pilot was departing the 1,200 foot grass strip. He reported that the takeoff was normal until passing 250 feet above ground level. The engine began losing power without associated roughness or engine vibration. The pilot did not observe the gauges and focused on finding a suitable landing area. Since the airplane's flight path was toward slightly rising terrain, the pilot elected to turn the airplane toward a suitable landing area. During the turn, the airplane began losing altitude and the pilot performed a forced landing to an uncut hay field. Despite trying to keep the wings level, the left wing struck the hay first resulting in the airplane pivoting around the left wing tip. The airplane rotated 180 degrees before coming to rest in the upright position. A fire started near the lower portion of the engine and the passenger assisted with the pilot's egress prior to the airplane becoming engulfed in flames. Due to the remote location, the pilot reported that the fire response took 30 minutes. The pilot reported that the engine had operated normally prior to the accident flight without any indications of an impending failure. Thermal damage prevented a thorough investigation of the engine and the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

## Factual narrative

The sport pilot was departing the 1,200 foot grass strip. The pilot reported that the takeoff was normal until passing 250 feet above ground level when the airplane's engine began losing power without any associated roughness or engine vibration. The pilot did not observe the gauges and focused on finding a suitable landing area. Since the airplane's flight path was towards slightly rising terrain, the pilot elected to turn the airplane towards a suitable landing area. During the turn, the airplane began losing altitude and the pilot performed a forced landing to an uncut hay field. Despite trying to keep the wings level, the left wing struck the hay first resulting in the airplane pivoting around the left wing tip. The airplane rotated 180 degrees before coming to rest in the upright position. A fire started near the lower portion of the engine and the passenger assisted with the pilot's egress prior to the airplane becoming engulfed in flames. Due to the remote location, the pilot reported that the fire response took 30 minutes. The pilot reported that the engine had operated normally prior to the accident flight without any indications of an impending failure. Thermal damage prevented a thorough investigation of the engine and the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N615JH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N615JH-2009-10-16), registration cancelled 2009-10-16, S/N 0695148 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HALBERT JAMES H RANS S-7
- Registry model: [Halbert James H RANS S-7](https://openairdocs.org/model/halbert-james-h-rans-s-7) (registry code 05605AB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 0695148
- Airframe hours: 562.6
- Engines: Rotax 912 80 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, June 17, 2009
- Departed: Short, OK
- Destination: Short, OK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 74; injuries: minor; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; seat: front; flight hours: 1,007 total, 61 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observed at: KFSM, 15 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 20090906016749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090906016749A), Sep 6, 2009: Amtr RANSS7, Muldrow, OK, Destroyed. On September 6, 2009, N615JH, a rnas S-7 aircraft, departed from a private grass strip ner the town of Muldrow, Oklahoma, in an easterly direction. A…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74664. 595 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 595 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.

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