- Date
- June 7, 2008, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Metropolis, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N184LKindig Sonex
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080607840629A
- Case key
- 68361
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 undermined reasons and the low altitude at the time of engine power loss while turning. An additional cause was the proper touchdown point not attained by the pilot, A contributing factor was the runway lights.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot and owner of the experimental amateur-built airplane was arriving at the destination airport when the engine hesitated during final approach. The airplane had about 2 gallons of auto gas aboard upon landing. The airplane landed without further incident and the pilot reportedly refueled with 100 low lead aviation fuel. Prior to departing the destination airport, the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the fuel and airplane and no fuel contamination was found and no anomalies with the engine were noted. The airplane then departed, and while in a crosswind turn about 500 feet above ground level (agl), the engine speed decreased to "almost" idle. The pilot was able to obtain a limited increase in engine speed by moving the throttle control back and forth. The pilot flew the airplane over the airport about 400 feet agl and performed a steep turn abeam the approach end of runway 18 (4,000 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) to intercept the final approach. During the turn to final, the engine lost power, and the airplane touched down short of runway 18, rolled onto the runway, and impacted runway lights. Both wings were dented with rib damage to at least the right wing. The pilot was uninjured.
Factual narrative
The private pilot and owner of the experimental amateur-built airplane was arriving at the destination airport when the engine hesitated during final approach. The airplane had about 2 gallons of auto gas aboard upon landing. The airplane landed without further incident and the pilot reportedly refueled with 100 low lead aviation fuel. Prior to departing the destination airport, the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the fuel and airplane and no fuel contamination was found and no anomalies with engine were noted. The airplane then departed, and while in a crosswind turn about 500 feet above ground level (agl), the engine speed decreased to "almost" idle. The pilot was able obtain a limited increase in engine speed by moving the throttle control back and forth. The pilot flew the airplane over the airport about 400 feet agl and performed a steep turn abeam the approach end of runway 18 (4,000 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) to intercept the final approach. During the turn to final, the engine quit and the airplane touched down short of runway 18, rolled onto the runway, and impacted runway lights. Both wings were dented with rib damage to at least the right wing. The pilot was uninjured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N184L
- Reported as
- Kindig Sonex
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 928
- Engine
- Kindig AeroVee 2180, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- M30 · Metropolis, IL
- Destination
- M30
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 96 total · 39 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 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.