# NTSB CEN16LA264: Alonso CH 701, N701ZG, Dexter, MI, July 10, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 10, 2016, 12:05 local (16:05 UTC) - Place: Dexter, MI - Coordinates: 42.356109, -83.846107 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3561&lon=-83.8461&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 6, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 93586 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA264 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93586/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93586 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA264 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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: [Alonso Gregorio F CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05627U4), [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. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Alonso Gregorio F CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05627U4), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Alonso Gregorio F CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05627U4), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He reported that, during cruise flight, the engine began running roughly and that he then landed at a nearby airport to examine the engine. The pilot was not able to determine what caused the roughness. He started the engine and performed a run-up, which was normal, so he departed to continue the flight. While en route, the engine again started running roughly and subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot chose to conduct a forced landing in a soybean field, during which he had to lower the pitch altitude to fly under power lines, which resulted in an increase in airspeed and subsequent hard impact in the field. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive for the accumulation of carburetor ice at cruise power. ## Factual narrative On July 10, 2016, at 1205 eastern daylight time, an Alonso CH 701 airplane, N701ZG, collided with the terrain during an off-airport landing in Dexter, Michigan, following a loss of engine power. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. 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 was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from Livingston County Spencer J Hardy Airport (OZW), Howell, Michigan about 1150.The pilot reported he departed from Howard Nixon Memorial Airport (50G), Chesaning, Michigan, and was flying to Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB) when the engine began running rough. He landed at OZW to examine the engine with another pilot who was flying in an accompanying airplane. He stated they were not able to find anything wrong with the engine. The pilot started the engine and performed a run-up which he stated were normal, so he departed OZW to continue the flight to ARB. While en route, the engine once again started running rough and subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot chose to land in a soybean field. During the forced landing approach, he saw power lines and had to lower the pitch altitude to fly under them. The airplane impacted hard in the soybean field. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector along with an airframe and powerplant mechanic. The examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35 "Carburetor Icing Prevention" chart indicated that the temperature and dewpoint, 79° F and 61° F respectively, were conducive for serious icing at glide power, not cruise power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N701ZG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N701ZG), registered now, S/N 7-6607, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ALONSO CH 701 - Registry model: [Alonso Gregorio F CH 701](https://openairdocs.org/model/alonso-gregorio-f-ch-701) (registry code 05627U4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7-6607 - Year built: 2009 - Airframe hours: 194 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 2, 2016 - Departed: OZW, Howell, MI - Destination: ARB, Ann Arbor, MI - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review June 30, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 298 total, 196 in this make and model, 202 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KARB, 11 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 20160710010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160710010959A), Jul 10, 2016: Alonso Gregorio F CH 701, Dexter, MI, Substantial damage. The aircraft experienced a loss of power at approximately 3,000 feet. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, the pilot elected to make a… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 1, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93586. 381 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 257 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454526&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454527&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Engine Examination (item 3, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454528&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Examination-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.