# NTSB WPR10LA310: Rice KR-2, N44729, Richfield, UT, June 23, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 23, 2010, 10:06 local (16:06 UTC)
- Place: Richfield, UT
- Coordinates: 38.734443, -112.098052
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7344&lon=-112.0981&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report July 18, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 76427
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA310
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76427/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76427
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA310

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power during initial climb due to a carburetor malfunction.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Rice Lawrence KR-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=05648PQ), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Rice Lawrence KR-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=05648PQ), [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.

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Rice Lawrence KR-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05648PQ), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Rice Lawrence KR-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05648PQ), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Rice Lawrence KR-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05648PQ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane and, before flying it, he had a resident mechanic perform a condition inspection on the airplane, which was signed off on the day of the accident. The pilot stated that he did several long static engine runs on the ground and then planned to perform several high-speed taxi runs. During the second high-speed taxi, with a tailwind, the airplane became airborne. This was the first time the pilot had flown the airplane and he decided to continue the takeoff to stay in the traffic pattern and return for landing. The pilot reported that when he had climbed to about 250 feet, the engine began to lose power and the airplane began to descend. He turned back towards the runway's midpoint to land and the right wing suddenly dropped and impacted the airport's perimeter fence. The airplane came to rest inverted with its engine broken off and under the fuselage. The left wing was broken at the wing root, but not separated from the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the resident mechanic found that the slide-type carburetor contained a gummy residue and did not operate freely. Additionally, the spark plugs appeared to have excessive carbon buildup. During the examination of the airplane, other than the condition of the carburetor and spark plugs, no preimpact mechanical anomalies were found.

## Factual narrative

On June 23, 2010, at 1006 mountain daylight time, a Rice KR-2 experimental amateur-built airplane, N44729, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on takeoff from the Richfield Municipal Airport (RIF), Richfield, Utah. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the inaugural personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. A flight plan had not been filed. According to several witnesses, the pilot had recently purchased the airplane and brought it to Richfield by trailer. He had a resident mechanic perform a condition inspection on the aircraft; the maintenance records were signed off on June 23, 2010. The pilot did several long static engine runs on the ground and then planned to perform several high speed taxi runs on the 6,600-foot-long runway (elevation 5,301 feet; density altitude of 6,706 feet). The pilot performed his first high-speed taxi on runway 19. He did become airborne, but immediately set the airplane down and came to a stop. He reversed course and performed a second high-speed taxi, with a tail wind, on runway 01. This time when the airplane became airborne, the pilot reported that he ran out of runway and decided to fly it around the pattern. Witness reported that when the airplane lifted off, its initial pitch up appeared "excessive." The pilot reported that when he got to about 250 feet, the engine began to lose power and the airplane was descending. He turned back towards the runway's midpoint to land on runway 19, when the right wing suddenly dropped and impacted the airport's perimeter fence. Upon impacting terrain, the pilot was thrown from the airplane and came to rest approximately 50 feet beyond the wreckage. The aircraft came to rest inverted with its engine broken off and under the fuselage. The left wing was broken at the wing root, but not separated from the fuselage. The two-place, side-by-side airplane was built in 1985 and was powered by a Volkswagen engine. The engine had a redundant ignition system, half was electronic and half was a magneto. Fuel was introduced into the engine by a slide-type carburetor. Records found with the airplane indicate that it was first flown on November 10, 1995. The first pilot to fly the airplane reported that it was "pitch sensitive" and easy to over control. He said the airplane required constant left rudder pressure while in flight. The airplane had approximately 150 flight hours on it by the time of the accident. The pilot said the airplane was "short coupled" and was "squirrelly" to handle on the ground. He said that when he first got airborne it ran "decent." When he got to an altitude of about 250 feet agl, the engine began to lose power. He said that he thought it was running rich, because the engine's rpm continued to drop from 4,000 toabout 2,000. Postaccident examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the resident mechanic found the carburetor to be "very gummed up and did not operate freely." Additionally, the spark plugs appeared to have excessive carbon on them. During the examination of the airplane, other than condition of the carburetor and spark plugs, no preimpact mechanical anomalies were found.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N44729](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44729-2012-09-06), registration cancelled 2012-09-06, S/N 6664, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RICE KR-2
- Registry model: [Rice Lawrence KR-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/rice-lawrence-kr-2) (registry code 05648PQ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 6664
- Airframe hours: 150
- Engines: Volkswagon reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, June 23, 2010, 1 hours before
- Departed: RIF, Richfield, UT
- Destination: RIF, Richfield, UT
- Airport: RIF, Richfield Municipal Arpt, runway 01, 6,600 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 74; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: left; flight hours: 560 total, 35 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observed at: BCE, 62 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 20100623035999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100623035999A), Jun 23, 2010: Rice Lawren KR-2, Richfield, UT, Destroyed. First flight of aircraft after purchase and repaint. Aircraft sat on ground for several years prior. Conformity inspection complete pilot did high speed taxi…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76427. 169 KB in all.

- Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347666&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation with Mechanic (item 2, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347669&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Mechanic-Master.PDF
- Richfield City Police Report (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347670&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Richfield%20City%20Police%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.

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