- Date
- December 7, 2008, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wauchula, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6KDMiller Long EZ/XP
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081207856809A
- Case key
- 69594
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
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 1
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 pilot of the amateur-built airplane stated that while in cruise flight the engine lost all power and that he made an attempt to land in a field. He overshot the field and hit a power line. A cursory examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuel tanks were breached and fuel spillage was noted in the surrounding vegetation. A subsequent examination of the engine by the FAA inspector established compression and valvetrain continuity, and no mechanical anomalies were noted.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an amateur-built Long EZ/XP stated that while in cruise flight, the engine lost all power and he made an attempt to land in a field. He overshot the field and hit a power line. A cursory examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuel tanks were breached, and fuel spillage was noted in the surrounding vegetation. The FAA inspector planned to further examine the engine after wreckage recovery; however, the wreckage was recovered to an unsecured auto salvage facility and "worked on" by one of the airplane owners, without the FAA inspector's permission. A subsequent examination of the engine by the FAA inspector established compression and valve train continuity, and no mechanical anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6KD
- Reported as
- Miller Long EZ/XP
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Smith Gary
- Registered owner
- Smith Gary
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CHN · Wauchula, FL
- Destination
- CHN · Wauchula, FL
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 370 total · 370 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- CHN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.