- Date
- October 13, 2003, 10:28 local (15:28 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N707DDDomeier RV-7A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-St. Louis, Missouri FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031013025579A
- Case key
- 58177
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the supercharger and alternator drive belts which resulted in foreign object damage to the valve timing system and subsequent loss of engine power, and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing. A factor was the soft terrain where the forced landing was executed.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the airplane's nose landing gear dug into the soft sandy soil during the forced landing, causing the airplane to nose over. The airplane was powered by a Subaru automobile engine converted for aircraft use. A postaccident examination revealed that the plastic timing-belt cover and the belts for the alternator and supercharger were broken. Pieces of the alternator belt were found within the remaining portion of the timing-belt cover. The engine intake and exhaust valves had struck the top of the cylinders.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 2003, at 1028 central daylight time, an amateur-built RV-7A, N707DD, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Augusta, Missouri. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot, who was the only occupant, received minor injuries. The local flight originated from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, St. Louis, Missouri, about 1015.
The pilot reported that while cruising at 1,000 feet above ground level the airplane's engine suddenly quit. He reported that attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and he executed a forced landing to a dirt road between two farm fields. The pilot reported that during the landing the nose landing gear dug into the soft sandy ground and the airplane susequently nosed over.
The airplane was powered by a Subaru automobile engine that had been converted for aircraft use. The engine induction system included a belt driven supercharger.
A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector conducted a postaccident examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that the supercharger drive belt and the alternator drive belt were broken. A hole was found in the plastic timing-belt cover. Pieces of the alternator belt were found within the remaining portion of the timing-belt cover. Further examination revealed that the intake and exhaust valves had struck the piston tops.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N707DD
- Reported as
- Domeier RV-7A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 70374
- Airframe hours
- 89
- Engine
- Subaru 2.5, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 2003 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- SUS · St Louis, MO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 22, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 90 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SUS, 12 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.