# NTSB CEN10LA566: Holmes Gary Don Rutan LONG-EZ, N22GZ, Yellow Springs, OH, September 25, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 25, 2010, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Yellow Springs, OH - Coordinates: 39.800277, -83.837219 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8003&lon=-83.8372&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 77421 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA566 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77421/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77421 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA566 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: 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) - [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 pilot was performing basic flight maneuvers and experienced a total loss of engine power. The airplane began to descend and the pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, his attempts were unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted rough terrain, flipped over and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies. The engine ran satisfactorily after the accident. While the FAA's Carburetor Icing Chart revealed “Serious icing (glide power)” for the reported temperature and dew point conditions, the investigation could not conclusively determine that carburetor ice caused the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On September 25, 2010, approximately 1830 eastern daylight time, a Holmes Rutan Long-EZ single-engine airplane, N22GZ, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field following a loss of engine power near Yellow Springs, Ohio. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport (SGH), Springfield, Ohio, approximately 1810. The pilot reported that he was preparing his airplane for an upcoming trip and decided to fly a short local trip to make sure everything was in order. After departure from the local airport, the pilot executed several turns, slow flight maneuvers, and an approach to landing stall at an altitude of 3,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot then wanted a greater altitude safety margin and began a climb to greater than 4,000 feet msl. After passing through 4,000 feet msl, he began to execute a power on accelerated stall, and the engine abruptly quit. During the descent, the pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, the restarts were unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane impacted rough terrain, flipped over and came to rest inverted. Following the accident, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the airplane. Examination of the airplane showed damage to both composite wings and the fuselage. The airplane and engine were recovered for further examination. After the airplane was recovered to the pilot's storage facility, a test run of the engine was attempted by the inspectors and the pilot. The inspector reported, "It took about 40 seconds of running the fuel pump in order to prime the system, but then the engine was able to run. It ran for about a minute then was shut down. It was started again and it fired up immediately." The 1856 weather observation for SGH, located about 1 mile north of the accident site, included the following: sky clear, winds 330 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, dew point 9 degrees Celsius, and altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. The Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Bulletin number CE-09-35, titled “Carburetor Icing Prevention,” includes a chart indicating conditions conducive to carburetor icing. For the approximate ambient temperature and dew point at the time of the accident, the flight was conducted in “Serious icing (glide power)” conditions. ## Aircraft - Registration: N22GZ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: HOLMES GARY DON RUTAN LONG-EZ - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1081 - Airframe hours: 1086 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Wray Curtis W - Registered owner: Wray Curtis W - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 13, 2010 - Departed: SGH, Springfield, OH - Destination: SGH, Springfield, OH ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 12, 2009; seat: front; flight hours: 970 total, 500 in this make and model, 877 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 7 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg ## 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 20100925047149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100925047149A), Sep 25, 2010: Holmes Gary RUTAN LONG-, Yellow Springs, OH, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted]Fueled the aircraft and departed on a personal/pleasure flight in the local area. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight the pilot… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77421. 585 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 469 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339286&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Statement (item 2, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339287&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA SAIB Carburetor Icing Prevention (item 3, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20SAIB%20Carburetor%20Icing%20Prevention-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.