# NTSB CHI08LA067: Ziermann RV8, N617MZ, Garrison, MN, January 12, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 12, 2008, 12:38 local (18:38 UTC) - Place: Garrison, MN - Coordinates: 46.321388, -93.840278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3214&lon=-93.8403&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 67414 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI08LA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67414/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA067 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during cruise and the misjudged flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the frozen lake to which the pilot performed a forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=0561456), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Terrain: snowy/icy terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md?model=0561456), [All aircraft, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=0561456), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0561456), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=0561456), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The experimental amateur-built airplane airplane lost engine power during cruise on a cross country flight. The accident airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on impact with a frozen lake. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed flight and engine control continuity. No pre-impact anomalies were detected. ## Factual narrative On January 12, 2008, about 1238 central standard time, N617MZ, an experimental amateur-built Ziermann RV8 airplane, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with Round Lake during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power near Garrison, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated about 1215 from the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, near Brainerd, Minnesota, and was destined for the Winsted Municipal Airport, near Winsted, Minnesota. The Aitkin County Sheriff's interview of a witness who was fishing on Round Lake, in part, stated: [The witness] was outside of his fish house, when he heard this plane, the engine was sputtering, that was traveling east. [The witness] stated, the plane then banked hard right, and went down on the ice. [The witness] stated, the plane was almost flat when it hit the ice. When it hit, debris started to fly around, and the plane spun around, and slid to a stop. The pilot's accident report stated, "Headed home after eating lunch, no indication of any trouble up to that point." The pilot reported that he departed on the flight with 30 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gasoline on board the airplane. A Lycoming IO-360 engine with serial number L-20187-51A powered the airplane. The airplane's last conditional inspection was conducted on October 7, 2007. The pilot reported that the airplane had accumulated 279.5 hours of total time at the time of the accident. Engine logbook entries show that the engine was previously installed on a Lake LA-4-200, N3027P. An entry dated May 7, 1996, indicated that the Lake LA-4-200 airplane was destroyed in an accident and that the engine had accumulated a total time of 1,529.0 hours. The endorsement on the engine logbook's next page showed maintenance actions that included an inspection of cylinder compression. That page was signed off with the accident pilot's name, certificate number, and signature. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airplane wreckage. Flight and engine control continuity was established. No pre-impact anomalies were detected. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N617MZ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N617MZ), registered now, S/N 81064 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ziermann RV8 - Registry model: [Ziermann Marlin R RV8](https://openairdocs.org/model/ziermann-marlin-r-rv8) (registry code 0561456) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 81064 - Airframe hours: 279.5 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 1, 2007 - Departed: BRD, BRAINERD, MN - Destination: 10D, WINSTED, MN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2008; seat: front; flight hours: 280 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,100 ft overcast - Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: BRD, 20 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 20080112857769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080112857769A), Jan 12, 2008: Zierma RV8, Round Lake/Haze, MN, Substantial damage. On January 12, 2008, [privacy data omitted], the pilot of N617MZ, departed brainered, NM (kbrd) as a flight of three according to the statement from the pilot… 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.