- Date
- August 8, 1998, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Glenn Heights, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4562GCrane Quicksilver Sport 2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980808047099A
- Case key
- 43674
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 as the result of the owner/pilot's failure to install and adjust the proper carburetor jets. A 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 reported that, after takeoff, about 1 mile from the airstrip the Rotax engine began to run rough. He immediately turned back toward the airstrip. About 1/2 mile from the airstrip, the engine lost power, and the pilot maneuvered the aircraft into a field. During the landing, the vertical main spars (wing support tubes) were structurally damaged. After the accident, the pilot stated that he believed that the engine problem was precipitated by his not replacing the carburetor jets. He stated that the installed jets were more suitable for 'higher' altitude operations. The aircraft had recently been transported from Colorado.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 1998, approximately 1800 central daylight time, a Crane Quicksilver Sport 2 registered ultralight, N4562G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power, near Glenn Heights, Texas. The non-certificated pilot, who was the only occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from a private grass airstrip about 5 minutes prior to the accident.
The aircraft "type" classification is an "ultralight", however, since it has a registration number and an airworthiness certificate, it does not meet the guidelines for an ultralight exemption under Title 14 CFR Part 103, and therefore, must comply with FAA regulations regarding homebuilt "airplanes."
The pilot reported that, after takeoff, about 1 mile from the airstrip, the 65 horsepower Rotax engine began to run rough. He immediately turned back toward the airstrip. About 1/2 mile from the airstrip, the engine lost power, and the pilot maneuvered the aircraft into a field. During the landing, the vertical main spars (wing support tubes) were structurally damaged.
The pilot stated that he believed that the engine problem was precipitated by his not replacing/adjusting the carburetor jets. He stated that the installed jets were more suitable for "higher" altitude operations. The aircraft, which had accumulated a total of 12 flight hours, had recently been transported from Colorado.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4562G
- Reported as
- Crane Quicksilver Sport 2 (QUICKSILVE)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 635
- Airframe hours
- 12
- Engine
- Rotax 582, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald F. Crane
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 59
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.