# NTSB CEN17LA149: Aero Adventure Aventura UL, N580TX, Garden Ridge, TX, April 4, 2017

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 3, 2017, 19:34 local (Apr 4, 2017, 00:34 UTC)
- Place: Garden Ridge, TX
- Coordinates: 29.625278, -98.278053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6253&lon=-98.2781&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern crosswind: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report August 3, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - San Antonio FSDO
- SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 94980
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA149
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94980/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94980
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA149

## Probable cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

## 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: [Hughes William J AVENTURA UL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05902QS), [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.

- [Approach-VFR pattern crosswind: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes William J AVENTURA UL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05902QS), [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: [Hughes William J AVENTURA UL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05902QS), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Hughes William J AVENTURA UL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05902QS), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was performing a local flight in the airport traffic pattern. The engine began to "sputter" while the amphibian airplane was about 300 ft above the ground on the crosswind leg for the runway. The engine subsequently lost total power, and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a nearby clearing among trees, and the hull and both wings were substantially damaged. The fuel system had ample fuel, and the fuel shutoff valve was open. The fuel filter assembly and both carburetors contained fuel. The postaccident examination and successful engine test run revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Although the weather conditions were conducive for the formation of carburetor ice, the airplane's engine was equipped with carburetors with a variable-venturi design that are not generally prone to carburetor icing.

## Factual narrative

On April 3, 2017, about 1934 central daylight time, an amateur-built Aero Adventure Aventura UL amphibian airplane, N580TX, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Kitty Hawk Flying Field (TS67), Garden Ridge, Texas. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.The pilot reported that the purpose of the local area flight was to simulate water landings by flying low passes over a grass area alongside the western edge of runway 14/32 at TS67. The pilot reported that the flight departed about 1915 and that he completed several uneventful low passes before the accident. The pilot stated that the engine began to "sputter" about 300 ft above the ground while on a right crosswind leg for runway 32. The engine subsequently had a total loss of power and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot established best glide airspeed and made a forced landing in a nearby clearing among trees. The pilot stated that the airplane landed hard on the hull with the main landing gear retracted. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an examination of the airplane at the accident site. The hull and both wings were substantially damaged during impact. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit inputs to the individual control surfaces. The airplane's landing gear were positioned for a water landing. The emergency ballistic parachute recovery system was armed but had not deployed. The three fuel tanks (1 main, 2 auxiliary) contained automotive gasoline premixed with engine oil. The fuel system contained ample fuel and the fuel shutoff valve was open. The fuel filter assembly and both carburetors contained fuel. Engine crankshaft continuity was confirmed by rotating the propeller. The spark plugs exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft and appeared undamaged. One of the three propeller blades had punctured the fabric-covered aft fuselage during impact. The propeller was removed from the engine to facilitate an engine test run. The engine, a 55-horsepower Hirth model 3202, serial number 901269, started and ran at various engine speeds without any hesitation or anomalies. The postaccident examination and successful engine test run revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. According to a carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, entitled "Carburetor Icing Prevention", the recorded temperature and dew point were in the range of susceptibility for the formation of carburetor icing. The bulletin notes that if ice forms in the carburetor of a fixed-pitch propeller aircraft, the restriction to the induction airflow will result in roughness in engine operation and a drop in engine speed. The airplane was not equipped with a carburetor heat system; however, theengine was equipped two Dell'Orto sliding carburetors. Carburetors that incorporate a variable-venturi design (e.g. sliding carburetors) are not generally prone to carburetor icing, according to Aircraft Powerplants, Fifth Edition by Bent/McKinley.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N580TX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N580TX), registered now, S/N UL0016, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Aero Adventure Aventura UL
- Registry model: [Hughes William J AVENTURA UL](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-william-j-aventura-ul) (registry code 05902QS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: UL0016
- Year built: 1997
- Airframe hours: 480
- Engines: Hirth 3202 55 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, May 7, 2016, 34 hours before
- Departed: TS67, Garden Ridge, TX
- Destination: TS67, Garden Ridge, TX
- Airport: TS67, Kitty Hawk Flying Field, runway 32, 700 × 20 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Airframe parachute

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 49; injuries: serious; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2016; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 17,000 total, 47 in this make and model, 16,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observed at: RND, 7 nm away

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94980. 2.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 770 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483563&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation (Frank Fortmann) (item 2, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483564&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20(Frank%20Fortmann)-Master.PDF
- Weather Reports (item 3, .PDF, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483565&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-Master.PDF
- FAA Special Airwothiness Information Bulletin No. CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention (item 4, .PDF, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483566&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Special%20Airwothiness%20Information%20Bulletin%20No.%20CE-09-35%20Carburetor%20Icing%20Prevention-Master.PDF
- Hirth 3202 Engine Manual (Excerpts) (item 5, .PDF, 371 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483567&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Hirth%203202%20Engine%20Manual%20(Excerpts)-Master.PDF
- Carburetor Icing Article (item 6, .PDF, 433 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483568&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Article-Master.PDF
- Photos (item 7, .PDF, 762 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483569&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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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