# NTSB SEA00LA146: Jonas Falcon XP, N90345, Pendleton, OR, July 30, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 30, 2000, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Pendleton, OR - Coordinates: 45.729804, -118.789382 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7298&lon=-118.7894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49853 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA00LA146 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49853/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA146 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was rough/uneven terrain in the forced landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose over, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after taking off and turning left to clear the runway, he felt a slight vibration and noticed a lack of thrust. He stated that the engine RPM was 'full at 6300' but that the plane was slowing. He reported that he then leveled out to regain speed, but that this was not effective. The pilot reported that he then turned left to land immediately on a parallel taxiway, and that he landed level but short of the taxiway. The landing was in grass adjacent to the taxiway. The landing roll was uneventful until the aircraft's main gear entered a 'rabbit hole' in the grass. The pilot reported that the aircraft's right axle then sheared, and that the aircraft did a 'flip flop' from the right wingtip to the left wing and stopped. The pilot stated that he suspected a gearbox failure as the reason for full engine RPM with no associated thrust. ## Factual narrative On July 30, 2000, approximately 0930 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Jonas Falcon XP airplane, N90345, was substantially damaged in a forced landing following a loss of engine power on the crosswind leg of the airport traffic pattern at Pendleton, Oregon. The private pilot-in-command, who was the airplane's sole occupant, was not injured in the accident. The pilot reported that visual meteorological conditions existed and that no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR 91 local personal flight out of Pendleton. The pilot reported that after taking off on runway 25 and turning left to clear the runway, he felt a slight vibration and noticed a lack of thrust. He stated that the engine RPM was "full at 6300" but that the plane was slowing. He reported that he then leveled out to regain speed, but that this was not effective. The pilot reported that he then turned left to land immediately on a parallel taxiway, and that he landed level but short of the taxiway. In a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 9, 2001, the pilot stated that this landing was in grass adjacent to the taxiway, and that the landing roll was uneventful until the aircraft's main gear entered a "rabbit hole" in the grass. The pilot reported that the aircraft's right axle then sheared, and that the aircraft did a "flip flop" from the right wingtip to the left wing and stopped. The pilot stated that he suspected a gearbox failure as the reason for full engine RPM with no associated thrust. The aircraft received its experimental-category airworthiness certificate on July 15, 2000, about 2 weeks before the accident. The pilot reported that the aircraft's 74-horsepower (HP) Rotax 618 engine was manufactured in 1998 and had 13 hours total time, with 6.4 hours since its last inspection. The pilot reported that he took off with 9 gallons of 93-octane automotive fuel aboard on the accident flight (he stated that the aircraft's fuel capacity is 15 gallons.) Investigators did not determine the reason for the loss of power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90345](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90345-2013-04-16), registration cancelled 2013-04-16, S/N 600520, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Jonas FALCON XP - Registry model: [Jonas Steve W FALCON XP](https://openairdocs.org/model/jonas-steve-w-falcon-xp) (registry code 05610E1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 600520 - Airframe hours: 2 - Engines: Rotax 618 74 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stephen W. Jonas - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 2000, 7 hours before - Departed: PDT - Airport: PDT, Eastern Oregon Regional, runway 25, 6,300 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 204 total, 12 in this make and model, 164 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 2 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 20000730006129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000730006129A), Jul 30, 2000: Amtr FALCONXP, Pendleton, OR, No damage. (-23) After take-off, pilot noticed that the a/c was not producing sufficient power to continue departure. Decision was made to return to the airport. Upon… 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.