CEN13LA467

The pilot was performing aerobatic maneuvers when the engine stopped producing power. He was unable to restart the engine and made a forced landing to a grass runway. The pilot landed the airplane half-way down the runway, but he was unable to stop it before it overran the runway and struck a utility pole. A postaccident test run of the engine and examinations of the engine and airplane did not reveal any preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

On July 16, 2013, at 1940 eastern daylight time, N519ZB, a Christen Industries INC Pitts S2-B, sustained substantial damage when it made a forced landing to a private grass runway after a total loss of engine power near Dalton, Ohio. The commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed the Akron/Canton Regional Airport (CAK), Akron, Ohio, at 1915. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. In a written statement, the pilot stated that he departed CAK and flew to his designated "aerobatic box" to perform aerobatics. He said that during an upright, normal spin to the left, the engine stopped producing power. At that time, the airplane was about 3,300 feet above the ground and he prepared to make a forced landing to a short and narrow private grass runway. The pilot tried to re-start the engine several times during the emergency descent, but to no avail. The pilot landed half-way down the runway but was unable to stop. The airplane overran the runway and struck a utility pole, which resulted in substantial damage to the left, upper and lower wings. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector performed an examination of the airplane and engine and no preaccident anomalies were identified that would have caused the engine to stop producing power. He then performed a test run of the engine on the airframe. The engine started immediately and ran through its full power range without interruptions.