# NTSB MIA01LA127: Christen Industries Eagle II, N181DM, Alexander City, AL, April 20, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 20, 2001, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Alexander City, AL - Coordinates: 32.920566, -85.93048 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9206&lon=-85.9305&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 52102 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA127 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52102/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA127 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to an internal disconnection in the fuel injector control assembly as a result of a failure of the maintenance facility to follow proper installation procedures, resulting in a forced landing and collision with trees and the terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - maintenance,installation - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause) - fuel injection control/system - disconnected - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, at about 4,500 feet msl, the engine quit without warning. His emergency landing field choices were, trees, a river, or previously forested clearcut fields. He chose a small clearing surrounded by trees and he sustained a hard touchdown and noseover. FAA inspector statements revealed that fuel exhaustion, weather, or pilot human factors were not at issue. Teardown inspection of the modified fuel injection servo by NTSB and repair station personnel revealed internal separation of parts within the servo's regulator assembly which effectively shut down the fuel flow to the engine. ## Factual narrative On April 20, 2001, about 1300 central daylight time, an experimental homebuilt Christen Eagle II, N181DM, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained a complete loss of power and a forced landing while in cruise flight near Alexander City, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the ATP-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Ball Ground, Georgia, for Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama, about 50 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot, he and another Eagle were in loose formation cruise flight at 4,500 feet msl, about 14 NM east of Alexander City when his engine quit without any warning. He was trying for an emergency landing to an open field surrounded by a forest when his propeller caught a tree canopy, causing a loss of flare speed and a hard touchdown in the field. According to an FAA inspector, during the emergency landing, the aircraft touched down in a clear pasture in the middle of a wooded area, and flipped over. Adequate fuel remained in the fuel tank, and issues of fuel depletion, weather, and pilot skills were dismissed. The FAA inspector requested the pilot submit a "Malfunction or Defect Report" if applicable, at a later date. The pilot removed the fuel injector servo, a modified Bendix RSA-5AD1, serial no. 35088, known as the "2 stage SPL MOD" done by Airflow Performance, Inc., and sent it to the NTSB for further examination. Repair station disassembly examination, overseen by the NTSB, revealed the fuel injector's regulator diaphragm stem nut had completely backed off the threaded portion of the regulator stem, and was lying loose inside the regulator chamber. No evidence of "Loctite" or other similar product was found on the stem threads or the stem nut, nor was evidence of any other method of locking the stem nut in place found. Photographs were taken by the NTSB, and are an attachment to this report. Although the fuel injector servo modifying facility or the procedures used in the modification do not need FAA certification or approval due to the aircraft's experimental category, the following excerpt from the fuel servo manufacturer's component maintenance manual is referenced, "When final calibration, [of servo fuel injector assembly] is complete, check to see that at least two full threads are visible above self locking nut. Apply a light film of Loctite to the threads above lock-nut, as shown in Figure 104, with Loctite applicator 2550982." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N181DM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N181DM-2001-10-31), registration cancelled 2001-10-31, S/N 0001, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Christen Industries Eagle II - Registry model: [Mcclung Daniel CHRISTEN EAGLE II](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcclung-daniel-christen-eagle-ii) (registry code 05658HB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: M001 - Airframe hours: 1003 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 A1D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Daniel McClung - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 7, 2001, 33 hours before - Departed: 47A, Ball Ground, GA - Destination: MXE, Maxwell Field, AL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; flight engineer, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 12, 2000; seat: single; flight hours: 14,500 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 7,500 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: MGM, 46 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010420006969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010420006969A), Apr 20, 2001: Amtr CHRISEAGLE2, Alexander City, AL, Substantial damage. (.19)On April 20, 2001, about 1500 CDT, a homebuilt christen eagle ii, N181DM, registered to a private individual, operating as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.