# NTSB ERA23LA351: Nanchang China CJ-6A, N114DZ, Merrickville, NY, August 26, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 26, 2023, 17:38 local (21:38 UTC) - Place: Merrickville, NY · Wooded Area - Coordinates: 42.265667, -75.168543 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2657&lon=-75.1685&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192948 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA351 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192948/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192948 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA351 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power while enroute for reasons that could not be determined. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Nanchang China CJ-6A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=056183N), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Nanchang China CJ-6A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=056183N), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Nanchang China CJ-6A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056183N), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Nanchang China CJ-6A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056183N), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during a cross-country flight, he chose to divert to a closer airport due to weather and air traffic control delays. About 40 nautical miles from the diversion airport, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful in restoring power and chose to conduct a forced landing into trees. The airplane impacted the trees and sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the left horizontal stabilizer. A video recorded by a witness near the accident site captured the sound of the engine cutting in and out before ultimately going silent, which was consistent with an additional witness report. Based upon fueling records and the pilot’s report of his fuel planning and the airplane’s fuel consumption rate, the airplane should have had about one hour of fuel remaining at the time of the loss of power. Due to the airplane damage, the total fuel quantity on board could not be established; however, the smell of fuel was present at the accident site. Examination of the engine found that a small piece of the intake duct work of a cylinder was missing. While having this piece missing could have resulted in under-performance of the engine or a partial loss of power, it is unlikely this would have resulted in a total loss of engine power. There were no other preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures found with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and the reason for the loss of power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 26, 2023, at 1738 eastern daylight time, a Nanchang CJ-6A, N114DZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Merrickville, New York. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed Dewitt Field/Old Town Municipal Airport (OLD), Old Town, Maine, at 1518 with a destination of State College Regional Airport (UNV), State College, Pennsylvania, which was about 473 miles southwest. While enroute, the pilot realized that due to weather and air traffic control (ATC) deviations, he would not have the required fuel reserves to continue the flight to UNV. He decided to divert to Greater Binghamton Airport/Edwin A Link Field (BGM), Binghamton, New York, which was 117 nautical miles northeast of UNV. Subsequently, about 40 nautical miles from BGM, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot reported completing the engine failure in flight emergency procedure. He reported that the airplane had about 1 hour of fuel remaining on board at the time of the loss of power. He switched the magneto from right to left multiple times and both were only effective for a few seconds each before the engine lost power again. The pilot-rated passenger reported that, while the pilot began to address the engine failure, he called ATC and declared an emergency. ATC gave the pilot a radar vector to the closest airport, but the pilot determined that they would not be able to glide that distance and began to look for a place to make a forced landing. With no suitable fields in the vicinity, the pilot reported that, “I felt the safest course of action was to ditch into trees.” The airplane impacted multiple trees and came to rest on its right side. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and left horizontal stabilizer. A witness who lived near the accident site was outside her home when she saw a “small green airplane descending.” She stated that, “There was no sound whatsoever coming from the plane, he quickly lost altitude and descended into the tree line.” She also reported that, about 200 yards from the accident site, there was a “slight smell of fuel,” which she followed to find the site. A video was recorded by another witness near the accident site that recorded the sound of the airplane’s engine cutting in and out before ultimately going silent. Postaccident examination of the wreckage found that the flight control stick moved freely by hand with no binding. The throttle control was full open, the mixture control was 3/4 toward the full rich position, the carburetor heat was on, and the fuel selector was on. There were no residual fuel vapors in either of the wing fuel tanks; however, the smell of fuel was present at the site. The front spark plugs were removed and about 2 quarts of fuel ran out of the spark plug hole of one cylinder. Compression andsuction were confirmed on all cylinders when the crankshaft was rotated by hand using the propeller. Valvetrain continuity was confirmed on all but one cylinder, which exhibited impact damage to the push rods, when the crankshaft was rotated by hand using the propeller. Both magnetos were removed and produced spark on all leads when rotated using an electric drill. The fuel screen was removed and exhibited no debris; there was slight corrosion inside the fuel screen housing. The oil filter was removed and cut open; the filter pleats contained a small number of metallic fragments. The cylinders were not labeled and were marked arbitrarily; there was a hole on the No. 1 cylinder intake tube with a piece missing; this piece was not found during the examination. Review of maintenance records indicated that the airplane’s fuel capacity was increased in 2014 to 64 gallons total, with 2 gallons of unusable fuel. The pilot reported that they had departed on the flight with 62 gallons of 100 low-lead (100LL) aviation fuel on board. Fuel records showed that the pilot purchased 28.9 gallons of 100LL two days before the accident flight. The pilot reported that he used a fuel consumption rate of 16 gallons per hour while flight planning and that he did not operate the airplane for more than 3 hours. This would result in the airplane having an endurance of about 3.8 hours; the accident occurred about 2.6 hours into the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N114DZ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N114DZ), registered now, S/N 2132018, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NANCHANG CHINA CJ-6A - Registry model: [Nanchang China CJ-6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/nanchang-china-cj-6a) (registry code 056183N) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2132018 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 4207.6 - Engines: Vedeneyev M14P 360 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 21, 2023 - Departed: OLD, Old Town, ME - Destination: UNV, State College, PA - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: serious; airline transport, flight engineer, remote; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 5, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 15,000 total, 60 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 220 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot-rated passenger; age 22; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: OIC, 17 nm away - METAR: METAR KOIC 262135Z AUTO 33007KT 300V360 10SM CLR 24/16 A2992 RMK AO2 T02440161 ## 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 20230826016099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230826016099A), Aug 26, 2023: Nanchang China CJ-6A, Franklin, NY, Substantial damage. The aircraft experienced engine failure. The pilot tried to restart the engine several times but the engine would not stay running and eventually did not… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192948. 13.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16067371&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20NTSB%20COMPLETED%20SIGNED_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Passenger statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16067361&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Passenger%20statement%20N114DZ%20SIGNED%20(1)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� witness statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16048885&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Witness%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Fuel records (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 499 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16032769&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� fuel on board at takeoff (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16067820&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Fuel%20Amount-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� pilot fuel planning/burn (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16564596&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Pilot%20Fuel%20Planning-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records - fuel quantity increase (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 674 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16555179&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fuel%20Increase%20Logbook%20Entry_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA ATC package (item 8, PDF, 34 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16556754&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Accident%20Package_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photographs (item 9, PDF, 6 pages, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16557294&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA351-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� FAA wreckage examination (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16556274&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Wreckage%20Examination_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness video (item 11, 3GP, 452 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16555646&FileExtension=3GP&FileName=Video%20from%20FAA-Rel.3GP - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 517 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16559074&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23LA351%20Release-of-Wreckage_Redacted-Rel.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.