# NTSB DEN03LA010: Hildebrandt Rutan/Defiant, N219DF, Watkins, CO, October 19, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 19, 2002, 12:41 local (18:41 UTC) - Place: Watkins, CO - Coordinates: 39.785278, -104.543052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7853&lon=-104.5431&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 55952 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55952/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA010 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to use the checklist, resulting in his forgetting to lower the nose landing gear. Contributing factors included the pilot's attention being diverted by the loss of oil pressure on the rear engine due to a broken oil pressure sensor line, and a broken throttle cable on the front engine, requiring an airborne shutdown using the ignition switches. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - initial climb - lubricating system,oil line - failure,total (contributing factor) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - throttle/power lever,cable - failure,total (contributing factor) - Wheels up landing, landing - checklist - not used, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - landing gear,nose gear - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis After taking off on runway 26 and turning onto the crosswind leg, the pilot noticed the rear engine oil pressure was dropping. After turning onto the downwind leg, the pilot reduced power on the rear engine to idle. When he was on final approach and felt assured of landing on the runway, he shut down the rear engine. When he retarded the throttle on the front engine, he noticed power was not decreasing. He secured the front engine by turning off the ignition and glided to a landing but he forgot to lower the nose landing gear. The airplane touched down, the nose struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a halt on the runway. The airplane's nose section, including the "Rhino" rudder, was crushed and several fuselage bulkheads were buckled. The front engine throttle cable was found broken, and there was a broken oil pressure sensor line in the rear engine. ## Factual narrative On October 19, 2002, at 1241 mountain daylight time, a Hildebrandt Rutan/Defiant, N219DF, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine oil pressure at Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at 1240. The following is based on the pilot's accident report. After taking off on runway 26 and turning onto the crosswind leg, the pilot noticed the rear engine oil pressure was dropping. After turning onto the downwind leg, the pilot reduced power on the rear engine to idle. When he was on final approach and felt assured of landing on runway 26, he shut down the rear engine. When he retarded the throttle on the front engine, he noticed power was not decreasing. He secured the front engine by turning off the ignition and glided to a landing but he forgot to lower the nose landing gear. The airplane touched down, the nose struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a halt on the runway. The airplane's nose section, including the "Rhino" rudder, was crushed and several fuselage bulkheads were buckled. Examination of the airplane disclosed the front engine throttle cable had broken, and there was a broken oil pressure sensor line in the rear engine. In his accident report, the pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had followed "better emergency procedures --- use of the emergency checklist." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N219DF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N219DF-2015-05-20), registration cancelled 2015-05-20, S/N 039 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hildebrandt Rutan/Defiant - Registry model: [Hildebrant Earl L DEFIANT RUTAN](https://openairdocs.org/model/hildebrant-earl-l-defiant-rutan) (registry code 05690N7) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 039 - Airframe hours: 605 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gregory A. Benson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 2002, 3 hours before - Departed: FTG, Watkins, CO - Destination: FTG - Airport: FTG, Front Range, runway 26, 8,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 18, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 575 total, 22 in this make and model, 486 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: FTG ## 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 20021019028629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021019028629A), Oct 19, 2002: Amtr DEFIANT, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Shortly after take off the rear engine started losing oil pressure. The pilot brought the rear engine to idle and started to set up for landing, the… ## Other investigations on N219DF (2) 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. - [NTSB CHI05LA257](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05LA257), Sep 7, 2005: Hildebrant Rutan Defiant (N219DF), Bloomfield, IN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in the airplane overrunning the end of the runway during the aborted takeoff. A factor to the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity… - [NTSB DEN02LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA099), Aug 20, 2002: Hildebrandt Rutan/Defiant (N219DF), Erie, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the normal braking system, resulting in the airplane departing the end of the runway. A contributing factor was the airplane's slow acceleration during the takeoff roll. 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.