- Date
- May 29, 2006, 20:15 local (May 30, 2006, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- West Bend, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N391TStys T-Bird Sport
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060529008379A
- Case key
- 63922
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 for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall.
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 amateur-built light sport aircraft sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a baseball field after a complete loss of engine power while turning from base leg to the final approach for landing. The pilot reported that the two-cycle engine rpm slowed to 3,500 rpm for a few seconds and then stopped. The altitude was about 300 - 400 feet above ground level (agl), and he was unable to make it to the runway. The pilot reported that there was 1/4 tank of fuel in the right tank and less fuel in the left tank. He attempted to land in a baseball field, but was "unable to retain directional control" as the airplane cleared the obstructions to the field. The pilot reported that the left wing "dipped" and the airplane impacted bushes and trees. The inspection of the engine revealed that it did not seize. No deficiencies were found that would have precluded normal engine operation.
Factual narrative
The amateur-built light sport aircraft sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a baseball field after a complete loss of engine power while turning from base leg to the final approach for landing. The pilot reported that the two-cycle engine rpm slowed to 3,500 rpm for a few seconds and then stopped. The altitude was about 300 - 400 feet above ground level (agl), and he was unable to land on the runway. The pilot reported that there was 1/4 tank of fuel in the right tank and less fuel in the left tank. He attempted to land in a baseball field, but was "unable to retain directional control" as the airplane cleared the obstructions to the field. The pilot reported that the left wing "dipped" and the airplane impacted bushes and trees.
The inspection of the engine revealed that it did not seize. No deficiencies were found that would have precluded normal engine operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N391T
- Reported as
- Stys T-Bird Sport
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0001
- Engine
- Rotax 582, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sylvester J. Stys
- Departed
- ETB · West Bend, WI
- Airport
- ETB · West Bend Municipal Airport
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
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Flight hours
- 379 total · 10 in this make and model · 287 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
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.