- Date
- March 25, 2000, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Beasley, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N79RWWard Acro
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000325023559A
- Case key
- 51126
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 an undetermined reason.
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 amateur-built airplane departed the airport on a local test flight. After a 20 minute flight, the pilot returned to the airport and 'closed the throttle to glide down to 1,000 feet pattern altitude to land. At pattern altitude, opened throttle-engine was dead.' He attempted to re-start the engine, but was not successful. The airplane touched down in a grain field short of the runway, crossed a road, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane, which was powered by a 520-horsepower Chevrolet V-8 automotive engine, had accumulated a total of 6.1 hours. No further examination was conducted.
Factual narrative
On March 25, 2000, at 1430 central standard time, a Ward Acro amateur-built airplane, N79RW, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Beasley, Texas. The private pilot, who was the registered owner and builder of the single-seat airplane, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local personal flight. The flight originated from the Ward Airpark, Beasley, Texas, at 1410.
The pilot reported that he departed Ward Airpark for a local test flight. He returned to the airport after a 20 minute flight and "closed the throttle to glide down to 1,000 feet pattern altitude to land. At pattern altitude, opened throttle-engine was dead." He attempted to re-start the engine, but was unsuccessful. During the ensuing forced landing the airplane touched down in a grain field approximately 300 feet short of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane crossed a road and became airborne a second time. During the second ground contact, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, reported that the rudder was bent, and the engine mount and propeller were damaged. He further reported that the airplane, which was powered by a 520-horespower Chevrolet V-8 automotive engine, had accumulated a total flight time of 6.1 hours. No further examination was conducted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79RW
- Reported as
- Ward Acro
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 99
- Airframe hours
- 7
- Engine
- R.A. Ward CHEVROLET V8, 520 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Raymond A. Ward
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 5, 2000 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 5TA9
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,770 total · 1,770 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGR, 15 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.