# NTSB SEA03LA163: Schulze Lancair 360, N360W, Vancouver, WA, August 7, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 2003, 14:40 local (21:40 UTC) - Place: Vancouver, WA - Coordinates: 45.61972, -122.657218 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6197&lon=-122.6572&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57660 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA163 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57660/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA163 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during the initial climb. Collision with a vehicle during landing was a factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - object - vehicle (contributing factor) ## Analysis According to the pilot, during the initial climb out he noticed a puff of smoke come from somewhere near the front of the aircraft. At that point he made the decision to return to the field for a precautionary landing. He therefore made a 180 degree turn toward the field and reduced power in order to initiate a descent. As he neared the field, he pushed the throttle forward to increase power, but found that the engine had quit. He therefore made the decision to land on a nearby road. During the landing, he successfully flew over the top of a car and touched down on the pavement, but impacted the rear of a preceding garbage truck before he was able to get the aircraft stopped. The aircraft was consumed by a post-crash fire. The engine and associated wiring and hoses were too badly damaged by fire to determine the source of the reported smoke and loss of power. ## Factual narrative On August 7, 2003, approximately 1440 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Schulze Lancair 360, N360W, impacted a vehicle while attempting a forced landing on a highway about one quarter mile southeast of Pearson Airpark, Vancouver, Washington. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned by a friend of the pilot, was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which was departing for Scappoose Industrial Airpark, Scappoose, Oregon, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, during the initial climb out he noticed a puff of smoke come from somewhere near the front of the aircraft. At that point he made the decision to return to the field for a precautionary landing. He therefore made a 180 degree turn toward the field and reduced power in order to initiate a descent. As he neared the field, he pushed the throttle forward to increase power, but found that the engine had quit. He therefore made the decision to land on a nearby road. During the landing, he successfully flew over the top of a car and touched down on the pavement, but impacted the rear of a preceding garbage truck before he was able to get the aircraft stopped. The aircraft was consumed by a post-crash fire. Witnesses to the event reported seeing smoke trailing from the aircraft during the descent. The pilot reported that he and the owner had been building this aircraft over the last about ten years. The aircraft had accumulated a total flight time of eight hours at the time of the accident. The engine, a G/M Chevrolet V-6, liquid cooled, electric ignition, had accumulated approximately 60-70 hours of run time with no noted problems. After the wreckage was recovered from the highway and taken back to the Pearson Airpark, a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Hillsboro, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office, inspected the aircraft and engine. The inspector reported that the engine mounts, engine, gear reduction box, starter, alternator and hydraulic pump for the propeller were intact, but were badly burned. The exhaust header on the right side of the engine was cracked, but appeared to be impact damaged. Associated wiring and hoses were destroyed by fire damage. One propeller blade exhibited an approximate 2 1/2 inch deep gouge, about 7 inches from the blade tip. Neither blade was in the feathered position. The propeller shaft broke approximately five inches out from the gear reduction box mount. The fuel header tank had been filled prior to departure. The wing tanks had some fuel, but were not full. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N360W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N360W-2005-06-13), registration cancelled 2005-06-13, S/N 776-320-618FB, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schulze Lancair 360 - Registry model: [Schulze David A LANCAIR 360](https://openairdocs.org/model/schulze-david-a-lancair-360) (registry code 05623DQ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 776-320-618FB - Airframe hours: 8 - Engines: General Motors V-6 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William D. Cody - Registered owner: David A Schulze - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 6, 2003, 0 hours before - Departed: VUO, Vancouver, WA - Destination: SPB, Scappoose, OR - Airport: VUO, Pearson Field, runway 26, 3,275 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 78; injuries: none; commercial, military; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 27, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 8 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KVUO, 1 nm away ## 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 20030807019909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030807019909A), Aug 7, 2003: Amtr LANCAIR360, Vancouver, WA, Destroyed. (-23) N360W is an experimental Lancair-360 with 8 hours total flight in phase one of the test flying. On this flight, N360W was approximately 7-8 minutes into… 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.