- Date
- February 25, 1995, 13:59 local (20:59 UTC)
- Place
- Brighton, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N872MMMorrison, Marvin E. RV-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 23, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950225003009A
- Case key
- 19359
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
A total loss of power for unknown reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a 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
During initial climb following takeoff, the engine lost power and the pilot conducted a forced landing to a plowed field. The landing gear dug in and the aircraft nosed over. Automotive fuel was being used in the aircraft at the time. An FAA inspector, who examined the aircraft, found no evidence as to why the engine lost power.
Factual narrative
On February 25, 1995, at 1359 mountain standard time, an experimental RV-4, N872MM, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Brighton, Colorado. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when the landing gear dug in and the aircraft nosed over. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for this local area personal flight which was departing Van Aire (CO12), a private airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
During initial climb following takeoff the engine lost power. During the forced landing, in a freshly plowed field, the landing gear dug in and the aircraft nosed over.
According to the FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the aircraft, the fuel being used was regular automotive fuel and a fuel analysis was negative for contaminates. The inspector found no evidence to indicate why the engine lost power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N872MM
- Reported as
- Morrison, Marvin E. RV-4
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 872
- Airframe hours
- 734
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mansfield, William J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · June 20, 1994 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- CO12
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 666 total · 490 in this make and model · 640 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DEN, 20 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.