# NTSB WPR09LA074: Rowland GS-2 Sport, N756R, Ramona, CA, January 6, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 5, 2009, 17:00 local (Jan 6, 2009, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Ramona, CA - Coordinates: 33.068889, -116.751113 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0689&lon=-116.7511&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 3, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 73196 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73196/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73196 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA074 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=056243L), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=056243L), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=056243L), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=056243L), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=056243L), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after making an adjustment to the fuel servo, and during the maintenance test flight to determine the cause of the known high oil temperature condition, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine without success and subsequently initiated a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll the airplane collided with a fence, substantially damaging the elevator. After the airplane was recovered from the field the engine was inspected and prepared for an engine run. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector overseeing the run reported that, other than an initial fuel rich condition, the engine started and ran normally. ## Factual narrative On January 5, 2008, about 1700 Pacific standard time (PST), an experimental Rowland GS-2 Sport, N756R, collided with a fence during a forced landing near Ramona, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The airline transport pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator. The local personal maintenance test flight departed Ramona about 1630. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that the purpose of the local flight was to determine the cause of high oil temperature in normal cruise flight configuration. Prior to the flight, the pilot had made an adjustment to the fuel servo. During the flight the engine temperature was increasing and the engine subsequently lost power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and he initiated a forced landing to a dirt airstrip. Due to a high rate of descent and headwind, the pilot was unable to land at the airstrip and he diverted to an open field. During the landing rollout, the airplane collided with a fence. The tail and elevator struck the fence and sustained substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane after it had been recovered. The inspector stated that other than an initial fuel rich condition, the engine started and ran normally. After a brief warm up and increased rpm, the engine smoothed out. The mixture was leaned and the engine ran smoothly and responded well to throttle changes. During idle, the mixture was pulled to the "cutoff" position and the rpm increase seemed normal. The inspector reported that an attempt was made to restart the engine with the mixture full rich, but it would not start. A hot engine start procedure was used (mixture positioned at cutoff), and the engine started with no problem. No other abnormalities were found which would preclude normal operation. The pilot reported a total of 23.8 hours of flight testing at the time of the loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N756R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N756R), registered now, S/N 7127, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROWLAND GS-2 SPORT - Registry model: [Rowland David E GS-2 SPORTSMAN](https://openairdocs.org/model/rowland-david-e-gs-2-sportsman) (registry code 056243L) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-390 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-390-series) (registry code 41678, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7127 - Airframe hours: 24 - Engines: Textron Lycoming IO-390 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, December 2, 2008, 24 hours before - Departed: RNM, Ramona, CA - Destination: RNM, Ramona, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 18, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 11,778 total, 24 in this make and model, 11,678 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: RNM ## 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 20090105001359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090105001359A), Jan 5, 2009: Rowlan GS2SPORTSMAN, Ramona, CA, Substantial damage. This amateur kit-built experimental aircraft was being operated during the phase I test flight period when the engine quit during cruise flight. A witness on… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73196. 716 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 691 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320877&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation- Hammerstrand (item 3, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320878&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-%20Hammerstrand-Redacted.PDF 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.