# NTSB CEN22LA308: Vans RV6, N184CB, Aurora, CO, July 3, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 3, 2022, 07:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place: Aurora, CO · Corn field.
- Coordinates: 39.794083, -104.5719 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7941&lon=-104.5719&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: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Denver FSDO, Transportation Safety Board of Canada
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105432
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA308
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105432/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105432
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA308

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to foreign object debris blockage of engine air intake. The source of the debris could not be determined based on the available information.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Power plant: air intake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 50 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05614N0), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the experimental airplane reported that the engine lost total power shortly after takeoff. The pilot decided to perform a forced landing straight ahead to a flat cornfield which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount and lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a piece of black plastic material lodged in the carburetor throttle body. The foreign object debris (FOD) was similar to the material used with common trash bags. The pilot reported that he did not know where the FOD may have originated. It is likely that the FOD blocked the engine’s air intake, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The airplane’s carburetor heat valve provided heated air forward of the air filter; thus, the carburetor heat air flow did not bypass the air filter. While is it possible that the FOD may have been left in the carburetor heat system during previous maintenance work about 60 flight hours before the accident, the source of the FOD and when it was introduced could not be determined based on the available evidence. It is likely that the FOD, which was lodged in the carburetor throttle body, blocked air intake for the engine, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

## Factual narrative

On July 3, 2022, about 0735 mountain daylight time, an experimental, Vans RV-6 airplane, N184CB, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Aurora, Colorado. The pilot was not injured; the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane had a total of 35 gallons of fuel onboard for the cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff from runway 26, as he began a left turn, the engine lost total power. The pilot contacted the control tower about the loss of engine power, and he was cleared to land on runway 8. After assessing the altitude and airspeed, the pilot determined that the airplane would not be able to land on runway 8 and he decided to perform a forced landing straight ahead to a flat cornfield. The airplane came to rest upright in the field and the occupants egressed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and the lower fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a piece of black plastic material lodged in the carburetor throttle body downstream of the air intake filter. The foreign object debris (FOD) was like the material used with common trash bags. The pilot reported that he did not know where the FOD may have originated. The pilot reported that the last time the area, consisting of the air filter, the air filter bowl, and the carburetor, was accessed was in April, 2021, when the pilot, working as a repairman, performed inspection work. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated about 62 flight hours since that inspection. In the RV-6 series airplanes, the carburetor heat valve provides heated air forward of the air filter; thus, the carburetor heat air flow does not bypass the air filter.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N184CB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N184CB-2023-08-24), registration cancelled 2023-08-24, S/N 25454, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS RV6 (UNDESIGNATED SERIES)
- Registry model: [Spaur Charles VANS RV-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/spaur-charles-vans-rv-6) (registry code 05614N0) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a1a) (registry code 41594, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 25454
- Year built: 2002
- Airframe hours: 1330.1
- Engines: Aero Sport Power Ltd O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 30, 2022, 11 hours before
- Destination: ANK, Salida, CO
- Airport: CFO, Colorado Air And Space Port, runway 26, 8,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 9, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,904 total, 1,346 in this make and model, 1,904 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KDEN, 5 nm away
- METAR: KDEN 031253Z 23007KT 10SM FEW160 SCT220 21/09 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP084 T02110089

## 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 20220703011689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220703011689A), Jul 3, 2022: Spaur Charles VANS RV-6, Watkins, CO, Substantial damage. On July 03, 2022 [privacy data omitted] a vans RV6 on climb out from cfo lost all power and came to rest in an open field. Passenger sustained minor injuries.…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 29, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105432. 159 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 122 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14596064&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 6.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14595787&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- NTSB N184CB airframe and engine examination report (item 3, PDF, 6 pages, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14595588&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20N184CB%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination%20Report-Rel.pdf
- Fuel receipt, maintenance records, and pilot's logbook (item 4, PDF, 11 pages, 27.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14595054&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Receipt,%20Maintenance%20Records,%20and%20Pilot%27s%20Logbook%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- NTSB wreckage release form (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14596074&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form%20Redacted-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.