# NTSB CEN13LA383: Vink Robert D Youngster, N258RV, Grand Haven, MI, June 30, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 30, 2013, 13:24 local (17:24 UTC) - Place: Grand Haven, MI - Coordinates: 43.034168, -86.198059 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0342&lon=-86.1981&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 14, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Grand Rapids FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87351 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA383 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87351/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87351 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA383 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. ## 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 · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=05630MO), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=05630MO), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Ice/rain protection system: intake anti-ice, deice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020/cases.md?model=05630MO), [All aircraft, 108 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020/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 (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05630MO), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05630MO), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he performed several fast taxi operations and did not note any problems with the engine. The taxi, pretakeoff run-up, and takeoff for the initial test flight in the amateur-built airplane were normal, but the engine gradually lost power after takeoff. The engine continued to lose power, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. During an attempted off-airport landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain. The recorded temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent power. The pilot reported that he did not attempt to use carburetor heat during the flight because he had been taught that using carburetor heat reduces engine power. It is likely that the carburetor accumulated ice during the prolonged taxi operations before the takeoff. After the airplane became airborne, the carburetor ice continued accumulating and the engine continued to lose power to the point where continued flight was not possible. ## Factual narrative On June 30, 2013, about 1324 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Youngster airplane, N258RV, impacted terrain near Grand Haven, Michigan. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Grand Haven Memorial Airpark just before the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he was performing the initial test flight of the owner's new amateur-built airplane. He performed several fast taxi operations in which the tail of the conventional gear (tail wheel-equipped) airplane was raised and held off the ground for the length of the runway. During the fast taxi operations the pilot did not notice any engine or aircraft control problems. The pilot said he then taxied the airplane to where the owner was at, and had a short discussion where it was decided the pilot would take off and fly the airplane around the traffic pattern and land. The pilot taxied to the runway, performed a run-up check of the engine, proceeded onto the runway, and advanced the throttle for takeoff. He said that the engine accelerated smoothly and he noticed no problems. He rotated about 50 mph and the airplane became airborne. He noticed that the airplane "felt slow" and that it did not seem to be accelerating as it should. The pilot adjusted the control stick for the best rate of climb airspeed and noticed the airspeed decreased quickly with only a small change in the airplane's pitch attitude. At that point, the pilot felt he did not have sufficient runway remaining to safely land the airplane, so he continued the flight. There were power lines off the departure end of the runway, which the pilot was able to clear. He attempted to bank the airplane, but after turning only a few degrees he knew he didn't have the altitude or airspeed to complete the turn, so he leveled the airplane. He determined that the airplane's engine was losing power and verified that the choke and carburetor heat were off. The airplane's engine continued to lose power until the pilot could no longer safely maintain altitude. He attempted to maneuver the airplane to a suitable landing area; however, the airplane stuck trees and subsequently impacted the ground, where it came to a stop. At 1255, the recorded weather conditions at the Muskegon County Airport (MKG), Muskegon, Michigan, about 8 miles north of the accident site were: wind 30 degrees at 6 knots; 10 statute miles visibility; broken clouds at 8,500 ft agl, broken clouds at 13,000 ft agl; temperature 24 degrees C; dew point 13 degree C; altimeter setting 29.91 inches of mercury. The temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were in the range for susceptibility to moderate carburetor icing at cruise power and serious icing at descent powersettings. The pilot said that he did not use carburetor heat because when he was trained he was told that the use of carburetor heat reduces engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N258RV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N258RV), registered now, S/N Y120, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VINK ROBERT D YOUNGSTER - Registry model: [Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/vink-robert-d-youngster) (registry code 05630MO) (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: Y120 - Engines: Volkswagen 1600 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Vink Robert D - Registered owner: Vink Robert D - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 24, 2013 - Departed: 3GM, Grand Haven, MI - Destination: 3GM, Grand Haven, MI - Airport: 3GM, Grand Haven Memorial Airpark, runway 09, 3,752 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 275 total, 0 in this make and model, 230 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: MKG, 8 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 20130630011609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130630011609A), Jun 30, 2013: Vink Robert D YOUNGSTER, Grand Haven, MI, Substantial damage. On June 30, 2013, at 1324 EDT, an experimental Youngster Y-20 airplane, N258RV, registered to robert Vink and operated by a private pilot during the first test… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87351. 412 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 256 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419622&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Carburetor Icing Chart (item 2, .PDF, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40419623&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Chart-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.