- Date
- July 7, 1993, 20:15 local (Jul 8, 1993, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2227SHoopes Hummelbird
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930707022779A
- Case key
- 41730
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 fractured crankshaft.
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
While in cruise flight, the pilot heard a loud bang from the engine that was followed by severe vibration. The pilot shut the engine down and initiated a forced landing to an open field. The pilot later reported that the crankshaft broke in the web between the number one and number two connecting rod journals.
Factual narrative
On July 7, 1993 at 2015 hours mountain daylight time, a home built Hummelbird, N2227S, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Salt Lake City, Utah. The pilot initiated a forced landing in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated private pilot was not injured.
The pilot reported that at an altitude of 5,600 feet, he pulled the power back for cruise flight. At this time, he heard a loud bang and the airplane began to vibrate. The pilot shut the engine down and initiated a forced landing to an open field.
The pilot reported that a Mosler Motors MMCB, reciprocating, 35 horsepower engine is installed in the airplane. Further examination revealed that the crankshaft broke in the web between the number one and number two connecting rod journals.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2227S
- Reported as
- Hoopes Hummelbird
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- GW1244
- Airframe hours
- 148
- Engine
- Mosler MMCB, 35 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hoopes, Todd C.
- Registered owner
- Hoopes, Todd C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 335 total · 138 in this make and model · 268 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.