- Date
- April 2, 1994, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bisbee, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N183RCCurry FLY-BABY
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940402010569A
- Case key
- 28711
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 a blockage in the fuel tank outlet which caused fuel starvation.
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
According to the pilot, the aircraft was in the initial climb after takeoff when the engine suddenly quit. The pilot reported that he did not have sufficient altitude or vehicle energy to return to the airport and attempted to land on a nearby road. The aircraft landed short and collided with rough terrain. The pilot said he suspects a fuel blockage at the tank outlet as the cause for the engine power loss.
Factual narrative
On April 2, 1994, at 1000 mountain standard time, a homebulit experimental Curry Fly-Baby, N183RC, collided with rough terrain during an attempted forced landing on a road near Bisbee, Arizona. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft was destroyed in the collision sequence. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident as a local area personal flight.
According to the pilot, the aircraft was in the initial climb after takeoff when the engine suddenly quit. The pilot reported that he did not have sufficient altitude or vehicle energy to return to the airport and attempted to land on a nearby road. The aircraft landed short and collided with rough terrain.
In his written report, the pilot said he suspects a fuel blockage at the tank outlet as the cause for the engine power loss.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N183RC
- Reported as
- Curry FLY-BABY
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2183
- Airframe hours
- 6
- Engine
- Franklin 4AC-176-B2, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard D. Curry
- Registered owner
- Richard D. Curry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 8, 1994 · 6 hours before
- Airport
- P04 · Bisbee Muni, runway 17, 6,000 × 60 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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 6 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.