# NTSB WPR09LA195: Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, N342MS, Dunsmuir, CA, April 14, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 14, 2009, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Dunsmuir, CA - Coordinates: 41.203609, -122.277778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2036&lon=-122.2778&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 73666 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA195 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73666/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73666 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA195 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056266K), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During cruise flight, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing onto an interstate highway. As the airplane descended, the wind became turbulent and gusty. According to the pilot, a wind gust "hit [the airplane's] nose suddenly." The pilot lost control of the airplane, and it impacted trees and came to rest next to the highway. Post-examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would have prevented the engine from developing power. The airframe gascolator contained debris, but the debris obstructed less than 5 percent of the screen and would not have affected fuel flow to the engine. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined. ## Factual narrative On April 14, 2009, approximately 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Sungkwon Kim Long-Ez, experimental amateur-built airplane, N342MS, impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing attempt near Dunsmuir, California. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Redding, California, about 1530. The pilot had not filed a flight plan, but he reported that Eugene, Oregon, was his destination. The pilot reported that before taking off from Redding Municipal Airport, he received fuel and checked the weather. Takeoff and climb out were uneventful. While cruising at 12,500 feet mean sea level, about 1,000 feet above a cloud layer, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing onto Interstate 5. As the airplane descended, the wind became turbulent and gusty. According to the pilot, a wind gust "hit [the airplane's] nose suddenly. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest next to I-5. Both wings and both canards were separated from the fuselage, and the fuselage was severely damaged. During post-accident examination of the engine by a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, engine continuity was verified by rotating the crankshaft. During rotation, all four cylinders showed signs of compression. All cylinders were borescoped, and all displayed light scoring "that would appear normal for standard engine." The oil screen was inspected and contained one small piece of plastic material and no metal. The airframe gascolator was inspected and contained what the mechanic described as "excessive amounts of foreign debris." A photograph was taken of the debris found in the gascolator. Examination of this photograph by the NTSB investigator-in-charge revealed that the debris obstructed less than 5 percent of the screen. The mechanic also reported that the fuel line carrying fuel from the gascolator to the engine-driven fuel pump "appears to not be aircraft type material." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N342MS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N342MS-2013-03-26), registration cancelled 2013-03-26, S/N KM01, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SUNGKWON KIM LONG-EZE - Registry model: [Sungkwon Kim LONG-EZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/sungkwon-kim-long-eze) (registry code 056266K) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0320-E3D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0320-e3d) (registry code 42398, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: KM01 - Airframe hours: 52 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sung Kwon Kim - Registered owner: Sung Kwon Kim - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 5, 2009 - Departed: RDD, Redding, CA - Destination: EUG, Eugene, OR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: serious; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review March 18, 2009; seat: front; flight hours: 5,500 total, 41 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 10 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MHS, 5 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73666. 826 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 631 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318115&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 2, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318117&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Engine Exam Report (item 3, .PDF, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318119&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Exam%20Report-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.