# NTSB CEN14LA195: Larsen Mark V, N87JL, Amelia, OH, April 12, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 12, 2014, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Amelia, OH - Coordinates: 39.04639, -84.270835 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0464&lon=-84.2708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Cincinnati FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89049 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA195 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89049/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89049 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA195 ## Probable cause The distributor failure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise climb. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Ignition system: magneto/distributor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057414): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Larsen John M MARK V, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057414/cases.md?model=05628FJ), [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057414/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [Larsen John M MARK V, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=05628FJ), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Larsen John M MARK V, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05628FJ), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Larsen John M MARK V, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05628FJ), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Larsen John M MARK V, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05628FJ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the engine experienced a sudden and total loss of power during cruise climb. He was unable to restart the engine by isolating the ignition systems and the two fuel pumps. The propeller would rotate while he engaged the starter, but the engine would not restart. Subsequently, the pilot completed a forced landing on a nearby golf course. After an uneventful touchdown on a fairway, the airplane collided with a sand bunker that preceded the green. A postaccident examination revealed that the experimental amateur-built airplane was equipped with a converted automobile engine that had two ignition systems. The two ignition systems combined at a common distributor before terminating at the spark plugs. Although both ignition coils provided voltage while the engine crankshaft was rotated, a corresponding spark was not produced at the individual spark plugs. An examination of the distributor assembly revealed that the electrode contact had separated from the distributor rotor, which would have resulted in an immediate and total loss of engine power and prevented the engine from being restarted. ## Factual narrative On April 12, 2014, at 1045 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Larsen model Mark V airplane, N87JL, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Amelia, Ohio. The commercial pilot and his pilot-rated-passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight that had departed Clermont County Airport (I69), Batavia, Ohio, at 1035, and was en route to French Lick Municipal Airport (FRH), French Lick, Indiana.The pilot reported that after an uneventful takeoff from I69, the flight continued to climb toward its initial cruise altitude of 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). As the flight climbed through 2,100 feet msl, the pilot established cruise-climb by making a reduction to engine power. The pilot reported that shortly after making the power reduction, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power and the propeller stopped rotating. He was unable to restart the engine by isolating the ignition systems and the two fuel pumps. He reported that the propeller would rotate while he engaged the starter, but the engine would not restart. Ultimately, the pilot completed a forced landing on a nearby golf course. After an uneventful touchdown on a fairway, the airplane collided with a sand bunker that preceded the green. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing during the impact sequence. Following the accident, the pilot and his passenger released their restraints and exited the airplane through the cabin doors uninjured. The pilot reported that the airplane had been topped-off with automotive fuel (26 gallons total capacity) before the previous flight leg from Mount Vernon Airport (MVN), Mount Vernon, Illinois. He stated that the previous flight leg from MVN had consumed about 7 gallons of fuel during the approximately 2 hour flight. He reported that the airplane departed on the accident flight with about 18 gallons of fuel available and expected an average fuel consumption rate of about 3.5 gallons per hour. An engine examination was completed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors after the wreckage had been recovered to a secured location. The engine, a Subaru model EA-81, was a converted automobile engine. The engine produced suction/compression at each cylinder in conjunction with crankshaft rotation. The engine was equipped with two ignition systems that combined at a common distributor before terminating at the spark plugs. Although both ignition-coils provided voltage while the engine crankshaft was rotated, a corresponding spark was not produced at the individual spark plugs. An internal examination of the distributor assembly revealed that the electrode contact had separated from the distributor rotor. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N87JL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N87JL-2018-04-04), registration cancelled 2018-04-04, S/N .001, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LARSEN MARK V - Registry model: [Larsen John M MARK V](https://openairdocs.org/model/larsen-john-m-mark-v) (registry code 05628FJ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Subaru ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 59050, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: .001 - Year built: 1995 - Airframe hours: 710 - Engines: Subaru EA81 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 11, 2014 - Departed: I69, Batavia, OH - Destination: FRH, French Lick, IN - Airport: I69, Clermont County Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 25, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,757 total, 40 in this make and model, 3,525 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: LUK, 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 20140412004679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140412004679A), Apr 12, 2014: Larsen John M MARK V, Amelia, OH, Destroyed. Aircraft departed I69. Reached altitude of 2100 feet. Engine lost complete power. Aircraft landed on golf course fairway but hit a sand bunker on roll out.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89049. 377 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 227 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40412092&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (Michael Bloom) (item 2, .PDF, 150 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40412091&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20(Michael%20Bloom)-Redacted.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.