- Date
- May 26, 2008, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Roseburg, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4GJHutton KR-2
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080526835999A
- Case key
- 68094
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 due to the pilot's modification of the induction system, and the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering to a landing area following the power loss.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after departure, the engine experienced a partial loss of power about 200 feet above ground level (agl) during the initial climb. The pilot initiated a 180 degree turn to return to the runway; however, during the turn there was not sufficient altitude or airspeed to complete the turn. The airplane stalled/mushed and collided with a road near the airport. The forward section of the fuselage was structurally damaged as well as the wings. Post-accident inspection of the engine revealed that the pilot had just installed a new air intake. The pilot stated, "the intake after liftoff proved to be very efficient, so much so that it leaned the fuel mixture." The pilot reported no mechanical failures with the engine.
Factual narrative
On May 26, 2008, about 1510 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Hutton KR-2, N4GJ, lost engine power shortly after takeoff from Roseburg Regional Airport, Roseburg, Oregon, and collided with the terrain near the airport. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local area flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that he departed from runway 34 and the engine experienced a partial loss of power about 200 feet above ground level (agl) during the initial climb. The pilot initiated a 180 degree turn to return to the runway; however, during the turn there was not sufficient altitude or airspeed to complete the turn. The airplane stalled/mushed and collided with a road near the airport. The forward section of the fuselage was structurally damaged as well as the wings. Post-accident inspection of the engine revealed that the pilot had just installed a new air intake. The pilot stated, "the intake after liftoff proved to be very efficient, so much so that it leaned the fuel mixture." The pilot reported no mechanical failures with the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4GJ
- Reported as
- Hutton KR-2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1620
- Airframe hours
- 140
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1835, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clyde E. lloyd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2007 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- RBG · Roseburg, OR
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
- 70
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 310 total · 134 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- RBG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4GJ · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.