# NTSB CEN21LA402: Murphy Renegade II, N490DJ, Sheridan, IL, September 5, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 5, 2021, 13:23 local (18:23 UTC) - Place: Sheridan, IL · soybean field - Coordinates: 41.536622, -88.620558 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5366&lon=-88.6206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Greater Chicago FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 103805 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA402 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103805/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103805 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA402 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to a piston seizure. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=05632PO), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=05632PO), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05632PO), [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: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05632PO), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05632PO), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger were conducting “fast taxi” operations and did not intend to fly the airplane, but, after the airplane’s tail became airborne, the pilot decided to continue the takeoff. When the airplane was about 500 ft above ground level, he heard a “click” before the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing in a soybean field, during which the airplane nosed over shortly after touchdown. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper right wing and an engine mount tube. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that one of the two pistons, the magneto-side piston, had seized in the cylinder. The piston and cylinder bore exhibited scrape marks consistent with a piston seizure, and piston and ring material was missing with associated batter to the cylinder head, piston dome, and spark plug. The other, power-takeoff piston and cylinder exhibited no evidence of a piston seizure. Other than the magneto-side piston seizure and associated secondary damage, the engine exhibited no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would have prevented normal operation. Thus, the total loss of engine power during initial climb was likely due to the piston seizure. ## Factual narrative On June 15, 2013, the FAA issued the airplane an experimental airworthiness certificate and associated operating limitations. Although requested, the pilot did not provide any airplane maintenance logbook documentation during the investigation. On September 5, 2021, about 1323 central daylight time, a Murphy Renegade II experimental airplane, N490DJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sheridan, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that he was conducting “fast taxi” operations and did not intend to fly the airplane but that, after the airplane’s tail became airborne, he decided to continue the takeoff. After liftoff, at an altitude of about 500 ft above ground level, the pilot heard a “click” before the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing in a soybean field, during which the airplane nosed over shortly after touchdown. A search of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman certification records found no record of a pilot certificate for the pilot. The pilot reported that he had previous experience flying ultralight aircraft operated under 14 CFR Part 103. Postaccident examination confirmed that the airplane nosed over in a soybean field during the forced landing. The left main landing gear wheel separated from the gear leg during the forced landing. The outboard 3 ft of the upper right wing’s leading edge was crushed aft. Examination of the engine compartment revealed a fractured engine mount tube. The remaining fuselage, wings, and empennage were relatively undamaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface. The engine remained attached to the fuselage through the engine mounts. A partial teardown examination of the engine revealed that the magneto-side piston had seized in the cylinder. The piston and cylinder bore exhibited scrape marks consistent with a piston seizure, as shown in figure 1. Piston and ring material was missing with associated batter to the cylinder head, piston dome, and spark plug, as shown in figure 2. The power-takeoff piston and cylinder exhibited no evidence of piston seizure. Other than the magneto-side piston seizure and associated secondary damage, the engine exhibited no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would prevent normal operation. Figure 1. Magneto-side cylinder and piston. Figure 2. Magneto-side piston dome, cylinder head, and spark plug. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N490DJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N490DJ), registered now, S/N 0028 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Murphy Renegade II - Registry model: [John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11](https://openairdocs.org/model/john-knapp-murphy-renegade-11) (registry code 05632PO) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0028 - Year built: 2013 - Engines: Rotax 670 120 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 0C8, Newark, IL - Airport: NA, Cushing Field Ltd Airport - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 6 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KC09, 11 nm away - METAR: METAR KC09 051815Z AUTO 32006G14KT 10SM CLR 28/10 A2992 RMK AO2 T02800104= ## 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 20210905015389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210905015389A), Sep 5, 2021: John Knapp MURPHY RENEGADE 11, Sheridan, IL, Substantial damage. The PIC was conducting a fast taxi test on the aircraft at cushing field, IL (0C8)and did not intend to fly at the time. During the test, the tail of the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103805. 2.7 MB in all. - NTSB record of conversation (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16021999&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB%20Record%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf - FAA record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 209 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16021576&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 7 photos, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16021745&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Wreckage%20Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Weather summary (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16022084&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04%20-%20Weather%20Summary-Rel.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.