- Date
- October 6, 2005, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Mitchell, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N149KCCreed RV-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Rapid City, SD FSDO
- FAA report
- 20051006025949A
- Case key
- 62767
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 mechanic's improper installation of the air filter assembly which resulted in foreign debris inside the carburetor. A factor associated with the accident was the rough terrain on which the airplane was landed.
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 collided with rough terrain during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the engine lost power as he was leveling off shortly after takeoff. The pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos and carburetor heat, and verified that the fuel pump was on, but he was not able to regain full power. The pilot reported that since he had "considerable altitude", he turned around to stay close to the airport. He stated that he initially thought he would be able to make it back to the airport until the rate of descent increased and he determined that he was not going to make it back to the airport. The pilot initially attempted to land on a highway, but because of traffic, he elected to land in a rough pasture. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that bolts used to attach an air filter bracket to the carburetor had penetrated the carburetor bowl. When the filter bracket and bolts were removed, fuel, pieces of metal, and silicone came out of two of the four bolt holes. The pilot purchased the airplane on the day of the accident. A review of the aircraft logbooks indicated an entry dated May 18, 1999, stated, "Replaced nose cowling and spinner to install Vans airfilter kit."
Factual narrative
On October 6, 2005, at 1710 central daylight time, an amateur built Kenny RV-4, N149KC, collided with the terrain during an off airport forced landing in Mitchell, South Dakota. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight had originated from the Mitchell Municipal Airport (MHE) just prior to the accident.
The pilot reported he departed MHE and he was leveling off when the engine lost power. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos and carburetor heat, and verified that the fuel pump was on, but he was not able to regain full power. The pilot reported that since he had "considerable altitude", he turned around to stay close to the airport. He stated he initially thought he would be able to make it back to the airport until the rate of descent increased and he determined he was not going to make it back to the airport. The pilot initially attempted to land on a highway, but becasue of traffic, he elected to land in a rough pasture.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that bolts used to attach a air filter bracket to the carburetor had penetrated the carburetor bowl. When the filter bracket and bolts were removed, fuel, pieces of metal, and silicone came out of two of the four bolt holes.
The pilot had purchased the airplane on the day of the accident and was flying it from Lubbock, Texas, to his home airport when the accident occurred.
A review of the aircraft logbooks indicated an entry dated May 18, 1999, stated, "Replaced nose cowling and spinner to install Vans airfilter kit."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N149KC
- Reported as
- Creed RV-4
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 696
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gregory L. Schultz
- Registered owner
- G B Aerial Applications, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- MHE · Mitchell, SD
- Destination
- ROX · Roseau, MN
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 11,000 total · 75 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.