- Date
- October 22, 2005, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eunice, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N296PCChamberlain Vans RV6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- FAA report
- 20051022028419A
- Case key
- 62713
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 reason. A contributing factor was lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 781-hour private pilot, was performing a maintenance test flight following the installation of four overhauled engine cylinders in his tail wheel-equipped homebuilt airplane. Following the break-in runs for the new cylinders, the pilot elected to depart the uncontrolled private airstrip. During the climb out, while climbing through approximately 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the engine stopped producing power. After an unsuccessful restart, the pilot made a 180 degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport. When he was unable to reach the airport, the pilot elected to land in a pasture. While attempting to make the pasture, the airplane impacted a three foot levee at the edge of a rice field before coming to rest in an upright position. Inspection of the airplane at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed that the right fuel tank contained approximately 12 gallons of fuel, while the left tank was breached and appeared to be empty. The quantity of oil in the engine was found to be at "normal" levels. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The 781-hour private pilot, was performing a maintenance test flight following the installation of four overhauled engine cylinders in his tail wheel-equipped homebuilt airplane. Following the break-in runs for the new cylinders, the pilot elected to depart the uncontrolled private airstrip. During the climb out, while climbing through approximately 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the engine stopped producing power. After an unsuccessful restart, the pilot made a 180 degree turn in an attempt to return to the airport. When he was unable to reach the airport, the pilot elected to land in a pasture. While attempting to make the pasture, the airplane impacted a three foot levee at the edge of a rice field before coming to rest in an upright position. Inspection of the airplane at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed that the right fuel tank contained approximately 12 gallons of fuel, while the left tank was breached and appeared to be empty. The quantity of oil in the engine was found to be at "normal" levels. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N296PC
- Reported as
- Chamberlain Vans RV6
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 20945
- Airframe hours
- 111
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Phillip Lee Chamberlain
- Registered owner
- Phillip L Chamberlain
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2005
- Departed
- Eunice, LA
- Destination
- Eunice, LA
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 781 total · 87 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- klft, 27 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.