- Date
- November 22, 2009, 13:55 local (19:55 UTC)
- Place
- St. Louis, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5521NBoeing B75N1
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA St. Louis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091122052639A
- Case key
- 75121
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the airplane's engine quit when the airplane was about 150 feet above ground level after takeoff. He stated that after about 3 seconds the engine restarted and ran for another 6 to 7 seconds before quitting again. The pilot elected not to land on a busy highway and selected a small field to attempt a forced landing. He realized he would not be able to make the field and elected to stall the airplane into trees. Subsequent examination of the engine confirmed engine crankshaft and valve train continuity. Each cylinder produced "thumb" compression and the magnetos produced spark at all leads when the engine was rotated by hand. Fuel was found within the fuel tank and fuel lines leading to the engine. No anomalies were found that would explain the reported loss of engine power.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane's engine lost power when the airplane was about 150 feet above ground level after takeoff. He stated that after about 3 seconds the engine restarted and ran for another 6 to 7 seconds before losing power again. He elected not to land on a busy highway and selected a small field to attempt a forced landing. He realized he would not be able to make the field and elected to stall the airplane into trees. Subsequent examination of the engine confirmed engine crankshaft and valve train continuity. Each cylinder produced "thumb" compression and the magnetos produced spark at all leads when the engine was rotated by hand. Fuel was found within the fuel tank and fuel lines leading to the engine. No anomalies were found that would explain the reported loss of engine power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5521N
- Reported as
- Boeing B75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7931
- Airframe hours
- 5,038
- Engine
- Cont Motor W670 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 9, 2009 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- 1H0 · St. Louis, MO
- Destination
- 1H0 · St. Louis, MO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 1H0 · Creve Couer Airport, runway 16
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 3,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- STL, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 107 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5521N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.