- Date
- August 10, 2001, 18:30 UTC
- Place
- Port Allen, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N404DCDonald A Chiasson FP-404
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 29, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
- FAA report
- 20010810022729A
- Case key
- 53102
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 the 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 pilot of the homebuilt airplane reported that the engine began to run rough while maneuvering at about 1,000 feet above the ground. The engine subsequently lost power and seized. The pilot executed a forced landing to a sugar cane field. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On August 10, 2001, approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Donald Chiasson FP-404 homebuilt experimental airplane, N404DC, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Port Allen, Louisiana. The non-instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the Omni Field (LA46), near a Port Allen, Louisiana, approximately 1800 local.
The 525-hour pilot reported to the FAA inspector, that while in level flight at about 800 feet above the ground, the 52 horsepower Rotax 503 engine began to run rough and lose RPM. A few seconds later, while the pilot was attempting to return to the airport, the engine lost power and seized. The pilot elected to execute forced landing to a sugar cane field. The pilot was able to egress the airplane unassisted. There was no fire.
Examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the airframe, both main landing gears were damaged, the engine mounts were bent, and one propeller blade was fractured. The airplane had accumulated a total of 11.6 hours since it was built by the pilot. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N404DC
- Reported as
- Donald A Chiasson FP-404
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 4180
- Airframe hours
- 12
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Donald A. Chiasson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 25, 2001 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- LA46 · Omni Field, LA
- Destination
- 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- April 29, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 526 total · 12 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.