# NTSB CEN17LA329: James M Raulerson CH 750, N61LR, Manila, AR, August 24, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 24, 2017, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Manila, AR - Coordinates: 35.859165, -90.192497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8592&lon=-90.1925&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 95892 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA329 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95892/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95892 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA329 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not available for 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: [James M Raulerson CH 750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05633BK), [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: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [James M Raulerson CH 750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05633BK), [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: [James M Raulerson CH 750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05633BK), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot stated that he flew the airplane earlier in the day with no engine anomalies noted. During the return flight at 2,000 ft above ground level, the cylinder head temperature (CHT) on one of the engine's cylinders was higher than normal. He reduced engine power and the CHT decreased, then later increased again. He subsequently heard a loud "bang" from the engine, and the airplane and engine both shuddered. He reduced the throttle to idle and made a forced landing in a bean field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel collapsed in the mud and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident exterior examination of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities. The airplane was not made available for examination during the course of the investigation; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 24, 2017, about 1000 central daylight time, a Zenith CH 750 airplane, N61LR, experienced a loss of engine power and landed in a field near Manila, Arkansas. The private rated pilot and one passenger were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight departed Delta Regional Airport (DRP), Colt, Arkansas, about 0930 and was en route to Steele Municipal Airport (M12), Steele, Missouri. The pilot stated that earlier in the day he flew from M12 to DRP with no engine anomalies noted. During the return flight at 2,000 ft above ground level, the cylinder head temperature (CHT) on one cylinders was higher than normal. He reduced the throttle and the CHT decreased, then later increased to 340°F. He then heard a loud "bang" from the engine, and the airplane and engine both shuttered. He reduced the throttle to idle and made a forced landing in a bean field. During the landing roll the nose wheel collapsed in the mud and the airplane nosed over. The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector sent photos of the airplane in the bean field and confirmed substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. An exterior examination of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities. The airplane was not made available during the investigation; therefore, an engine examination was not possible. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61LR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61LR), registered now, S/N 75-8464, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: JAMES M RAULERSON CH 750 - Registry model: [James M Raulerson CH 750](https://openairdocs.org/model/james-m-raulerson-ch-750) (registry code 05633BK) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Ulpower UL350IS](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ulpower-ul350is) (registry code 62000, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 75-8464 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 400 - Engines: UL Power 350i 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 16, 2017 - Departed: DRP, COLT, AR - Destination: M12, STEELE, MO - Airport: MXA, Manila Muni - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 29, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 495 total, 401 in this make and model, 41.9 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 1.1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KBYH, 13 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 20170824010469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170824010469A), Aug 24, 2017: James M Raulerson CH 750, Manila, AR, Substantial damage. On August 24, 2017 at approximately 1030 CDT, a zenith, model CH-750, N61LR, registered to [privacy data omitted] landed in a bean field in Manila, AR after… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95892. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40461789&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photos (item 2, .PDF, 4 photos, 839 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40461790&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. --- 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.