# NTSB CEN11LA449: Abbey Victor RV9-A, N59VA, Leander, TX, June 30, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 30, 2011, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Leander, TX
- Coordinates: 30.601943, -97.818885 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6019&lon=-97.8189&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 10, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 80993
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA449
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/80993/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80993
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA449

## Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## 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: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05621P2), [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.

- [Takeoff: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000); cases with it: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=05621P2), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05621P2), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05621P2), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05621P2), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot departed in an experimental amateur-built airplane for a series of local test flights after a recent engine installation. During the first flight, the engine overheated and the pilot returned for a landing. The second flight was uneventful; however, during the third flight, the pilot noticed that the engine did not sound right, so he returned to the airport. The pilot and a mechanic inspected the engine and did not find any anomalies. When the pilot departed on the fourth flight, the engine lost partial power shortly after takeoff. The pilot turned back to the airport and, during the forced landing, the nose gear impacted a depression in the turf runway and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane’s engine did not reveal a reason for the loss of engine power.

## Factual narrative

On June 30, 2011, about 1615 central daylight time, an experimental amateur built RV9A airplane, N59VA, experienced a partial loss of engine power on initial climb after takeoff from the Kittie Hill Airport (77T), Leander, Texas. The commercial rated pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the forced landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. According to the pilot, following the installation of an Eggenfellner Subaru E6 engine, he flew the airplane three times before the accident flight. During the first flight, the engine overheated and the pilot returned to the airport and landed. A second flight of 30 to 45 minutes was performed maintaining higher airspeeds and the engine performed with no observed anomalies. After takeoff on the third flight, the pilot noted that the engine didn’t sound right, so he returned to the airport and landed. The pilot, along with his mechanic, examined the engine and could not locate any issues, so the pilot departed for his forth flight. After takeoff from runway 17, when the airplane reached an altitude of 200 to 300 feet, the engine lost partial power. The pilot elected to make a left turn and performed a landing to runway 30. As the airplane neared the end of its landing rollout, the nose gear impacted a depression in the turf runway and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to its vertical stabilizer and damage it the left wing tip, canopy, nose gear, and propeller. Examination of the engine did not reveal a reason for the loss of engine power.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N59VA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59VA-2013-10-31), registration cancelled 2013-10-31, S/N 90928, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ABBEY VICTOR RV9-A
- Registry model: [Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/abbey-victor-g-vans-rv9-a) (registry code 05621P2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 90928
- Airframe hours: 310
- Engines: Eggenfellner E-6 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, June 15, 2011
- Departed: 77T, Leander, TX
- Destination: 77T, Leander, TX
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: 77T, Kittie Hill Airport, runway 30, 2,620 × 55 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 5, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 1,690 total, 108 in this make and model, 1,629 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 99 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observed at: GTU, 9 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 20110630013189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110630013189A), Jun 30, 2011: Abbey Victor G VANS RV9-A, Leander, TX, Substantial damage. After take off at approximately 200 feet altitude the engine lost partial power. Pilot made turn to adjacent runway. During roll out on the grass runway the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80993. 1.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 765 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387096&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memo (item 2, .PDF, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memo-Master.PDF
- Memo with pilot (item 3, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388050&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memo%20with%20pilot-Master.PDF
- Photo log (photo provided by the operator) (item 4, .PDF, 442 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387099&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20log%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20(photo%20provided%20by%20the%20operator)-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.

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