- Date
- July 19, 1994, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brockport, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N41MDDonovan DER Kricket 17K-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940719018829A
- Case key
- 38795
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
The loss of engine power as a result of a sticking valve in the carburetor due to dirt contamination.
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 reported the engine performed normally during takeoff from runway 28. At an altitude of about 100 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a field. The wings were damaged during the landing. FAA examination of the airplane revealed dirt contamination of the 'posa' carburetor, resulting in a sticky valve.
Factual narrative
On Tuesday, July 19, 1994, at 1800 eastern daylight time, a Donovan Der Kricket, N41MD, an experimental homebuilt airplane, registered to and piloted by Mark W. Donovan, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in Brockport, New York. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot conducted a takeoff from runway 28 at the Ledgedale Airport, Brockport, New York. He stated that the "engine and takeoff run was normal." He said that at an altitude of 100 feet, there was a loss of engine power. He initiated a forced landing to a field, and during the landing roll, the airplane wings were damaged.
Mr. Pedro L. Munoz, a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector, examined the wreckage. In a report he stated:
The owner and I took the carburetor apart. We believe the cause for the loss of the engine rpm was old dirt in the carburetor valve.
The airplane had a total of 28.1 hours airframe time, and it had flown 5.3 hours since the last annual inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41MD
- Reported as
- Donovan DER Kricket 17K-1 (DER KRICKE)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 95
- Airframe hours
- 28
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1835-CC, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark W. Donovan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 19, 1994 · 5 hours before
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 21 in this make and model · 590 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 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.