# NTSB ERA14LA344: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 Bravo, N128LS, Melbourne, FL, July 10, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 10, 2014, 09:40 local (13:40 UTC) - Place: Melbourne, FL - Coordinates: 28.205278, -80.886108 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2053&lon=-80.8861&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89687 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14LA344 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89687/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89687 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA344 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## 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: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=060001M), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=060001M), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=060001M), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=060001M), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot departed on a cross-country flight in the light sport airplane. After leveling off at a cruise altitude about 2,500 ft, the pilot turned off the electric fuel pump and saw an initial decrease in fuel pressure followed by a return to the normal range. About 5-10 minutes later, the engine began to run rough, and the pilot turned on the electric fuel pump. The engine ran smoothly for a short time then experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot conducted a forced landing to a dirt road. A postaccident test run of the engine revealed no anomalies when the engine was operated at low rpm. The engine could not be run at full power due to the damage sustained to its mounts during the forced landing. Based on the available information, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 10, 2014, about 0940 eastern daylight time, a Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 Bravo, N128LS, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power near Melbourne, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Orlando Apopka Airport (X04), Apopka, Florida, and was destined for Merritt Island Airport (COI), Merritt Island, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot stated that a preflight inspection and engine run-up check revealed no anomalies. The takeoff was normal, and he climbed the airplane to a cruise altitude of 2,500 feet. Upon establishing the airplane in cruise flight, the pilot turned off the electric fuel pump and observed the fuel pressure gauge indicate an initial decrease, followed by an increase to the normal range. About five to ten minutes later, the engine began to run rough, and the pilot turned on the electric fuel pump. The engine ran smoothly for a short time, then experienced a total loss of power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to a dirt road. The airplane was examined at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The inspector stated that the wing fuel tanks each contained about 3 gallons of fuel, and that the engine firewall had sustained substantial damage. The airplane was then moved to X04 to facilitate further examination. Electrical power was applied to the airplane, and the operation of the electric fuel pump was verified. Fuel was plumbed to the engine, and the engine started and ran smoothly at low rpm with no anomalies observed. The engine could not be run at full power due to damage sustained to the engine mounts during the forced landing. The 0953 weather observation at Melbourne International Airport (MLB), about 14 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, included clear skies, 10 miles visibility, wind from 190 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 23 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in January 2012. His total flight experience, as well as flight experience in the accident airplane make and model, was not determined. The airplane was manufactured in 2006, and was equipped with a Rotax 912ULS, 100hp, reciprocating engine. The airplane's maintenance history was not determined. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 1,451.4 total hours. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N128LS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N128LS-2021-09-04), registration cancelled 2021-09-04, S/N 076, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P2004 BRAVO - Registry model: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO](https://openairdocs.org/model/costruzioni-aeronautiche-tecna-p2004-bravo) (registry code 060001M) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 076 - Year built: 2006 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: First Landings Aviation - Registered owner: Valencic Adam J - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Departed: X04, Apopka, FL - Destination: COI, Merritt Island, FL - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review March 8, 2013; seat: left; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: KMLB, 14 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 20140710020859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140710020859A), Jul 10, 2014: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, Melbourne, FL, Substantial damage. Sequence of events: The a/c was a light sport Tecnam P-2004B, flying from apopka airport (X-04) to merritt island airport (coi). The aircraft began to run… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 31, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89687. 486 KB in all. - Memorandum for Record - Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450584&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450585&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Rotech (item 3, .PDF, 307 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450586&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Rotech-Master.PDF 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.