# NTSB SEA07LA248: Higher Class Sport Hornet, N155HC, Santa Paula, CA, September 5, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 4, 2007, 19:14 local (Sep 5, 2007, 02:14 UTC) - Place: Santa Paula, CA - Coordinates: 34.343334, -119.065551 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3433&lon=-119.0656&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 66615 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07LA248 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66615/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA248 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power during a go-around for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering following the loss of power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, go-around (vfr) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - stall/spin - encountered, pilot in command(cfi) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The flight instructor and his student were flying a newly manufactured special light sport airplane to the state of Washington. On their initial departure, the engine lost power and they landed straight ahead on the remaining runway. A new fuel flow meter with a restriction had been installed in the airplane. This unit was removed and a ground run up test along with a flight test was performed. They departed at 1700 and flew for approximately 2 hours with no difficulties. A witness said that the airplane was landing on runway 22, and appeared to be "too fast." He said the airplane aborted the landing and during the go-around, the engine began to sputter. The witness said the airplane started a turn back towards the runway when the airplane "spun" into a nearby river. The flight instructor said that when the power loss occurred at approximately 200 to 300 feet above ground level, he took control of the airplane and turned towards an open area to his left. As he banked, the airplane impacted terrain. Several structural pieces of the fuselage were bent or broken. A post accident examination of the engine identified no abnormalities and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined. ## Factual narrative On September 4, 2007, at 1914 Pacific daylight time, a Higher Class Aviation Sport Hornet, light sport aircraft, N155HC, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during a VFR go-around at Santa Paula Airport (SZP), Santa Paula, California. The flight instructor and his student were seriously injured. The student/owner was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, which originated from Ramona, California, approximately 2 hours before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The flight instructor said that they were transporting the newly manufactured airplane to the state of Washington. On their initial departure from Ramona, the engine lost power and they landed straight ahead on the remaining runway. A new fuel flow meter with a restriction had been installed in the airplane. This unit was removed and a ground run up test along with a flight test was performed. They departed at 1700 and flew for approximately 2 hours with no difficulties. A witness said that the airplane was landing on runway 22, and appeared to be "too fast." He said the airplane aborted the landing and during the go-around, the engine began to sputter. The witness said the airplane started a turn back towards the runway when the airplane "spun into the Santa Clara River." The flight instructor said that when the power loss occurred, at approximately 200 to 300 feet above ground level, he took control of the airplane and turned towards an open area to his left. As he banked, the airplane impacted terrain. Several structural pieces of the fuselage were bent or broken. A post accident examination of the engine by a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, an engine manufacturer's representative and the owner was accomplished on December 13, 2007. They identified no abnormalities with the engine; the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N155HC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N155HC-2017-05-31), registration cancelled 2017-05-31, S/N 054, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Higher Class Aviation Sport Hornet - Registry model: [Higher Class SPORT HORNET](https://openairdocs.org/model/higher-class-sport-hornet) (registry code 060004L) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 054 - Airframe hours: 27 - Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Higher Class Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2007 - Departed: RNM, Ramona, CA - Destination: SZP, Santa Paula, CA - Airport: SZP, Santa Paula Airport, runway 22, 2,665 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2007; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,297 total, 8 in this make and model, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 31; injuries: serious; seat: front; flight hours: 25 total, 25 in this make and model, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 240° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.67 inHg - Observed at: CMA, 7 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 20070904020869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070904020869A), Sep 4, 2007: Amtr HORNET, Santa Paula, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilots were delivering a new airplane from ramona airport (rmn), ramona, CA to the new owner in lake chelan, WA. Their first stop enroute was Santa Paula… 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.