- Date
- March 29, 2006, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Ray, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N22220Martin Rans S-7 Courier
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Detroit-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060329005949A
- Case key
- 63673
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 loss of engine power and fire for undetermined reasons.
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 pilot reported that during takeoff, when the airplane was about 25 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. He stated that he landed the airplane and then exited and walked around the airplane. He stated that when he came to the nose area of the airplane, flames were emanating from the cowl. He stated that he moved to a safe distance and the airplane was subsequently consumed by the fire. Subsequent examination of the airplane failed to reveal the source of the fire or the reason for the loss of engine power.
Factual narrative
On March 29, 2006, about 1150 eastern standard time, an amateur-built Martin Rans S-7 Courier, N22220, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed by fire following a forced landing subsequent to a loss of engine power. The airplane was on initial climb after takeoff from runway 27 (2,500 feet by 60 feet, asphalt), at the Ray Community Airport, Ray, Michigan, when the loss of power occurred. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The local flight was originating at the time the accident occurred.
The pilot reported that after performing a preflight examination and run-up of the airplane, he started his takeoff. He stated that when the airplane was about 25 feet above ground level, the engine quit. He stated that he landed the airplane and then exited and walked around the airplane. He stated that when he came to the nose area of the airplane, flames were emanating from the cowl. He stated that he moved to a safe distance and the airplane was subsequently consumed by the fire.
Subsequent examination of the airplane failed to reveal the source of the fire or the reason for the loss of engine power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22220
- Reported as
- Martin Rans S-7 Courier
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1293124
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Ray, MI
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 30 in this make and model · 670 as pilot in command · 2 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.