# NTSB CEN14LA385: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar, N636EV, Wichita Falls, TX, July 19, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 19, 2014, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Wichita Falls, TX
- Coordinates: 33.860691, -98.489135 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8607&lon=-98.4891&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 14, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89719
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA385
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89719/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89719
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA385

## Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined during postaccident examination.

## 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: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=0600012), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)
- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=0600012), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=0600012), [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: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0600012), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0600012), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot and flight instructor were conducting touch-and-go landings in the traffic pattern. After the third takeoff and during the initial climb, the engine began to lose power. The flight instructor stated that the airplane was at 55 knots and 200 ft above the ground and that insufficient runway was remaining to land. With the engine still running with partial power, he tried to maintain level flight and return to the airport; however, the engine power continued to decrease to the point where the flight instructor was unable to maintain level flight. He made a forced landing in the nearest field, and the airplane collided with trees. The engine was functionally tested, and it operated normally.

## Factual narrative

On July 19, 2014, about 1030 central daylight time, the pilots of an Evektor-Aerotechnik Sport Star, N636EV, made a forced landing in a mesquite field after the engine lost power during initial climb from Kickapoo Airport (KCWC), Wichita Falls, Texas. The pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a partnership under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Wichita Falls about 1000.According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane's insurance company required pilots to have at least 3 hours in the airplane in order to be covered by the policy. The pilot was flying with an instructor to satisfy this requirement. The pilot and instructor were doing touch-and-go landings in the traffic pattern. After the third takeoff and during the initial climb, the engine began to lose power. The instructor said the airplane was at 55 knots and 200 feet above the ground, and there was insufficient runway on which to land. With the engine still partially running, he tried to maintain level flight and return to the airport. Power continued to diminish to the point where the instructor was unable to maintain level flight. He made a forced landing in the nearest field and the airplane collided with mesquite trees. The airplane was taken to Air Salvage of Dallas (ASOD) in Lancaster, Texas, where, on August 26, the engine was functionally tested under the auspices of an FAA inspector. The engine operated normally.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N636EV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N636EV), registered now, S/N 20060706 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR
- Registry model: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/evektor-aerotechnik-sportstar) (registry code 0600012) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20060706
- Year built: 2006
- Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Alan W. Sizemore
- Registered owner: Alan W. Sizemore
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed: KCWC, Wichita Falls, TX
- Destination: KCWC, Wichita Falls, TX
- Airport: KCWC, Kickapoo Downtown, runway 17, 4,450 × 75 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 35; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 2, 2013; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,275 total, 26 in this make and model, 1,826 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 19, 2003; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 381 total, 3 in this make and model, 330 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: KCWC

## 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 20140719011589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140719011589A), Jul 19, 2014: Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR, Wichita Falls, TX, Substantial damage. On July 19, 2014, at 1600Z, an Evektor-aerotechnikas, Sportstar, registered to a private owner, lost power and the aircraft landed in a field. The aircraft was…

## Other investigations on N636EV (1)

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.

- [NTSB WPR11CA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA219), May 8, 2011: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar (N636EV), Scottsdale, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89719. 2.4 MB in all.

- NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 609 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417372&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- E-mail from Jordan Paskevich, Rotax Aircraft Engines (item 2, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417373&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=E-mail%20from%20Jordan%20Paskevich,%20Rotax%20Aircraft%20Engines-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 - Right front view of N636EV (item 3, .PDF, 404 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Right%20front%20view%20of%20N636EV%0D%0A%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Left side of N636EV (item 4, .PDF, 490 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Left%20side%20of%20N636EV-Master.PDF
- Photo 3 - Left rear view of N636EV. Note broken mesquite tree branches (item 5, .PDF, 392 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Left%20rear%20view%20of%20N636EV.%20Note%20broken%20mesquite%20tree%20branches-Master.PDF
- Photo 4 - Right rear view of N636EV (item 6, .PDF, 457 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417377&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20Right%20rear%20view%20of%20N636EV-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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