- Date
- December 8, 2004, 15:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N19LCDay VP-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20041208035419A
- Case key
- 60715
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 for an undetermined reason.
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 had just completed recent maintenance to the airplane's converted automobile engine. Before conducting the accident flight, the pilot ran the engine for 20 minutes, of which 1 minute was at full power. After takeoff, the engine began to run rough, and the cylinder head temperature rose. The engine rpm then progressively dropped from full power to 2,300 rpm, and the pilot attempted to return to the airport; however, he conducted a forced landing to a clearing as the aircraft settled with limited power. During the forced landing, the airplane struck trees, and subsequently impacted the ground. The pilot added that the engine had seized on a prior flight, in September 2004. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine had seized and heat damage was noted.
Factual narrative
On December 8, 2004, at 1520 eastern standard time, a homebuilt VP-2, N19LC, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, after experiencing a total loss of engine power, while climbing out from the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (W66), Warrenton, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local test flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he had just completed recent maintenance to the airplane's converted automobile engine. Before conducting the accident flight, the pilot ran the engine for 20 minutes, of which 1 minute was at full power. After takeoff, the engine began to run rough, and the cylinder head temperature rose. The engine rpm then progressively dropped from full power to 2,300 rpm, and the pilot attempted to return to the airport; however, he conducted a forced landing to a clearing as the aircraft settled with limited power. During the forced landing, the airplane struck trees, and subsequently impacted the ground.
The pilot added that the engine had seized on a prior flight, in September 2004.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings. The inspector also noted that the engine had seized, and heat damage was noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N19LC
- Reported as
- Day VP-2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- LD-1
- Airframe hours
- 207
- Engine
- Hapi 60-E, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leroy C. Day
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2004 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- W66 · Warrenton, VA
- Airport
- NONE
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2003
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 370 total · 356 in this make and model · 340 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- CJR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.