# NTSB CHI05CA259: Dixon RV-4, N9120Q, Grafton, IL, September 9, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 9, 2005, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC) - Place: Grafton, IL - Coordinates: 39.002223, -90.43222 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0022&lon=-90.4322&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 62603 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA259 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62603/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA259 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to contamination of the fuel system, gascolator and carburetor inlet screen. A factor to the accident was the soybean crop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fuel system - contamination,other than water (cause) - fuel system,filter - blocked(partial) (cause) - fuel system,gascolator - blocked(partial) (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis The airplane nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported the engine "started missing" and eventually "went dead" during cruise flight. The pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, and applied carburetor heat to no avail. The pilot stated that he performed a forced landing into a soybean field and nosed over during the landing rollout. The engine was test run during a post-accident examination. The engine started and ran at idle for a period of five minutes with no anomalies. The engine subsequently ran at 2,100 rpm with no anomalies. The gascolator and carburetor inlet screen were contaminated with fragments of a red fabric-like substance. The red fragments were similar to a shop-cloth or scotch-brite abrasion pad. ## Factual narrative On September 9, 2005, at 1350 central daylight time, a Dixon RV-4, N9120Q, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Grafton, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight departed Batesville Regional Airport (BVX), Batesville, Arkansas, at 1200 and was enroute to Whiteside County Airport (SQI), Rock Falls, Illinois. The pilot reported that after passing the St. Louis metropolitan area the engine "started missing" and eventually "went dead". The pilot stated that he performed a forced landing into a soybean field and nosed over during the landing rollout. The pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he had descended to 2,000 feet mean sea level in order to avoid the St. Louis Class B airspace. The pilot reported that after passing St. Louis he started to initiate a climb when the engine began running rough. The pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, and applied carburetor heat to no avail. The engine was test run during a post-accident examination. The engine started and ran at idle for a period of five minutes with no anomalies. The engine subsequently ran at 2,100 rpm with no anomalies. The gascolator and carburetor inlet screen were contaminated with fragments of a red fabric-like substance, according to the mechanic who examined the airplane after the accident. The red fragments were similar to a shop-cloth or scotch-brite abrasion pad. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9120Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9120Q), registered now, S/N 2278, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Dixon RV-4 - Registry model: [Dixon Silas RV 4](https://openairdocs.org/model/dixon-silas-rv-4) (registry code 0563019) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2278 - Airframe hours: 369.11 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2004, 86.61 hours before - Departed: BVX, Batesville, AR - Destination: SQI, Rock Falls, IL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2005; seat: front; flight hours: 3,300 total, 150 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 6 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: SET, 3 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 20050909023889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050909023889A), Sep 9, 2005: Dixons RV4, Grafton, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft was enroute from batesville, ar to sterling rockfalls, IL on a pleasure flight when the engine started running rough. The pilot switched mags… 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.