- Date
- July 28, 2002, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Leesburg, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1242VBoeing E75
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020728032219A
- Case key
- 55493
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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during takeoff, resulting in the airplane colliding with the ground and nosing over during the subsequent 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 stated to an FAA inspector that he was taking off from a private airport and during the initial climb, while at an altitude of about 100 feet, the engine coughed, sputtered, and started to cease operating. He said he turned the airplane to the right to avoid a tree while executing an emergency landing, and in the process, the right wing tip and landing gear contacted the ground causing the airplane to cartwheel. He said that the engine then "dug in", flipping the airplane on its back, and leaking fuel contacted the exhaust, starting a fire, which destroyed the airplane. An FAA inspector examined the accident airplace and said that he could not find anything that may have caused the engine problem.
Factual narrative
On July 28, 2002, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Boeing E75, N1242V, registered to Cordes Aircraft, and operated as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, burned in a field following an attempted emergency landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot and one pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated to an FAA inspector that he was taking off from a private airport near Leesburg, Florida, and during the initial climb, while at an altitude of about 100 feet, the engine coughed, sputtered, and started to cease operating. He said he turned the airplane to the right to avoid a tree while executing an emergency landing, and in the process, the right wing tip and landing gear contacted the ground causing the airplane to cartwheel. He said that the engine then "dug in", flipping the airplane on its back, and leaking fuel contacted the exhaust, starting a fire, which destroyed the airplane.
On August 15, 2002, an FAA inspector examined the accident airplane at the pilot/owner's facility and noted that there had been extensive fire damage to the airframe, the flight controls, and the engine. The inspector stated that during his examination he could not find anything obvious that may have caused the engine problem.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1242V
- Reported as
- Boeing E75
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-5219
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cordes Aircraft
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- Leesburg, FL
- Airport
- Flying Baron Estates
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2002
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 120 in this make and model · 21,900 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2002
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 644 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1242V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.