NYC04LA029

The pilot was on approach, in his homebuilt airplane, with an non-certificated engine. On final approach, about 600 feet agl, he experienced a power loss. He turned the airplane and performed a forced landing in an area with brush and small trees. Examination of the engine found the spark plugs lightly sooted, with heavier soot deposits on the piston heads. Compression was found in all cylinders, and fuel filter was absent of debris. The engine test run was test with no problems noted. The engine was not equipped with either carburetor heat or a mixture control. The relative humidity was 44 percent.

On November 9, 2003, about 1010 eastern standard time, a homebuilt Kolb Mark III, N456GW, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Ashtabula, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, that departed from a non-registered turf airstrip in Ashtabula, and was on approach to another non-registered turf airstrip in Ashtabula. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot stated:

"...Reduced power to begin descent from approx 1,500 AGL. Felt slight shudder from engine, but [the engine] continued to run....Entered left hand downwind and engaged flaps...turned base and brought in full flaps...turned final about 1/4 miles from threshold....began to reduce power and approach with normal short field technique (carrying power until clearing 50 foot obstacle at threshold)...Upon reduction of power setting, engine stalled...established glide, attempted restart without success...determined I would be short of touchdown point which is preceded by large trees...turned left about 160 degrees to do emergency landing in area with brush and small trees...slowed to MCA and landed in brush after tail contacted top of small tree...."

According to an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who examined the airplane and engine after the accident, light soot was found on the spark plugs, and heavy soot was found on the tops of the pistons. When the crankshaft was rotated, thumb compression was obtained in all cylinders. The fuel filter was absent of debris. After examining the engine, it was reassembled and started. The engine run was satisfactory with no problems noted.

In addition, the engine was not equipped with either carburetor heat or a mixture control. Engine shutdown was achieved by retarding the throttle to idle and turning the ignition off. The engine was classed as experimental and did not have a type certificate data sheet.

The pilot reported that the airplane had accumulated a total time of 303 hours since new, and he had not previously experienced a power loss.

The 0953 weather observation from Ashtabula County Airport (HZY), Ashtabula, Ohio, recorded the temperature at 3 degrees Celsius, and the dewpoint at -8 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity was 44 percent.