- Date
- October 29, 2010, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Oshtemo, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N768BAAardema Robert John 1 Aardema RAG WNG SP
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids
- FAA report
- 20101029049249A
- Case key
- 77706
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
The failure of the ignition system wiring, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
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, just after takeoff and during the initial climb, the airplane's engine suddenly lost power when the airplane was about 400 feet above the ground. The pilot attempted to return to the departure runway but realized that he did not have sufficient altitude. The airplane impacted trees and the ground in a wooded area near the runway. All of the biplane's wing surfaces were fragmented during the accident sequence and the fuselage came to rest nose down. The airplane was powered by a converted automobile engine. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the ignition high voltage coil wire had separated from the coil. When the wire was reinserted into the coil, the engine started normally. The coil wire was held in place by a friction fit; no other means of retention was provided.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that just after takeoff and during the initial climb, the airplane's engine suddenly lost power and the propeller stopped. The airplane's altitude when the power loss occurred was about 400 feet above the ground. The pilot attempted to return to the departure runway but realized that he did not have sufficient altitude. The airplane impacted trees and the ground in a wooded area near the runway. All of the biplane's wing surfaces were fragmented during the accident and the fuselage came to rest nose down. The airplane was powered by a converted automobile engine. Examination of the airplane revealed that the ignition high voltage coil wire had separated from the coil. The coil wire was re-inserted into the coil and the engine was able to be started. The engine could not be run to full power due to the fragmented propeller. The coil wire was held in place by a friction fit. No other means of retention was provided.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N768BA
- Reported as
- Aardema Robert John 1 Aardema RAG WNG SP
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 89
- Engine
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 12, 2010 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- 4N0 · Oshtemo, MI
- Destination
- 4N0 · Oshtemo, MI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 4N0 · Newman's Airport, runway 36, 2,697 × 125 ft, grass/turf
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2009
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 5,450 total · 90 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 834 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.