- Date
- October 11, 2005, 08:52 local (15:52 UTC)
- Place
- Clovis, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N835RAAppel RDA 04
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20051011023539A
- Case key
- 62652
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 loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system. The inadequate placement of the fuel system drain by the builder was a factor.
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 airplane impacted terrain while attempting to return to the runway following a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb. The pilot/owner reported that he had sumped the fuel system prior to the flight. After the accident, the pilot sumped the fuel tanks and found water. The pilot found that the placement of the fuel drain did not facilitate the removal of water from the wing tanks.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
The airplane impacted terrain while attempting to return to the runway following a loss of engine power at Clovis Municipal Airport, Clovis, New Mexico. The pilot/owner reported that he had sumped the fuel system prior to the flight. After the accident, the pilot sumped the fuel tanks and found water. The pilot found that the placement of the fuel drain did not facilitate the removal of water from the wing tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N835RA
- Reported as
- Appel RDA 04
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 82835
- Airframe hours
- 242
- Engine
- 1/2 Volkswagen AE378410, 45 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William G. Ashley
- Registered owner
- William G. Ashley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2005
- Departed
- CVN · Clovis, NM
- Destination
- CVN · Clovis, NM
- Airport
- CVN · Clovis Muni, runway 022, 6,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,688 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,688 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- CVN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.