- Date
- February 3, 1994, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Brazoria, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N21RCCannon Starduster II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940203001419A
- Case key
- 18998
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 pilot's improper flare technique during the forced landing. A factor was the fuel contamination induced partial power loss.
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
During initial climb following takeoff, the engine began running rough. The pilot conducted a forced landing in an open field beside the airport. The landing was hard and caused substantial damage. Inspection revealed fuel tank sealant throughout the fuel feed system.
Factual narrative
On February 3, 1994, at 0915 central standard time, a Cannon Starduster II, N21RC, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing due to a partial power loss. The pilot was not injured, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed for this personal flight which was on initial climb following takeoff from Brazoria Air Park, Texas.
According to the pilot, pre takeoff checks were normal and the engine began running rough at approximately 150 feet above ground level. The pilot said he could not land on the remaining runway and decided to land in an open field beside the airport. The pilot stated that the landing was "hard" and caused damage to the propeller, firewall, right wing, and landing gear.
The engine was examined by an FAA inspector who found fuel tank sealant throughout the fuel feed system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21RC
- Reported as
- Cannon Starduster II (STARDUSTER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 888
- Engine
- Franklin 6-1002, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cissna, Lawrence E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 1993 · 24 hours before
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,182 total · 653 in this make and model · 1,071 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GLS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.