# NTSB WPR10LA341: Ronald V White CH701, N3784A, Pima, AZ, July 10, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 9, 2010, 17:40 local (Jul 10, 2010, 00:40 UTC)
- Place: Pima, AZ
- Coordinates: 32.809444, -109.85778
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8094&lon=-109.8578&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: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 12, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 76578
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA341
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76578/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76578
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA341

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a spark plug failure.

## Findings

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

- [Ignition system: spark plugs/igniters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [White Ronald V CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421/cases.md?model=05903UK), [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [White Ronald V CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=05903UK), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/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: [White Ronald V CH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05903UK), [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: [White Ronald V CH 701, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05903UK), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [White Ronald V CH 701, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05903UK), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that the purpose of the local flight was to practice maneuvers. After departure, the airplane climbed to 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot stated that the engine was running smoothly, producing full power, and he noted no anomalies. He then descended to 1,000 feet agl under cruise power, and after completing a turn, the engine had an immediate loss of power. It began to vibrate significantly and subsequently lost total power. The airplane collided with a tree during a forced landing on a road. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the spark plug in the right rear cylinder was fractured and separated in the porcelain area of the plug. The spark plug base remained screwed into the cylinder, and it was more than finger tight. The remainder of the plug was in the ignition harness’s rubber boot. There was no indication that the spark plug fractured due to impact damage. The spark plug was then replaced and the engine started with no anomalies noted. The engine had accumulated 4 hours since being installed on the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On July 9, 2010, about 1740 mountain standard time, a Ronald V White CH701, N3784A, collided with a tree during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power near Pima, Arizona. The pilot/owner was operating the experimental airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing by impact forces. The pilot departed Pima at 1700 on a local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that he climbed to 2,000 feet above ground level (agl) after departure. The engine was running smoothly, and making full power. He performed several maneuvers, and experienced no anomalies with the airframe or engine. He descended to 1,000 feet agl under cruise power. Shortly after completing a turn, the engine exhibited an immediate loss of power, and began to vibrate significantly. The airplane could not maintain altitude, so the pilot picked a landing spot, and made a 180-degree turn to final approach for landing on a road. He pulled the throttle back, and the engine abruptly stopped. The airplane touched down at 45 miles per hour; the left wing immediately struck a tree and uneven terrain. The airplane spun sideways, and the right main landing gear collapsed. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noted that fuel was leaking from the vent cap on the right wing, which was bent downward. The leak stopped after he raised the wing to a level attitude. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. He observed that the spark plug in the right rear cylinder was fractured and separated in the porcelain area of the plug. The spark plug base remained screwed into the cylinder, and it was more than finger tight. The remainder of the plug remained in the ignition harness’s rubber boot. There was no indication that the spark plug fractured during impact; the plug was partly protected by the exhaust stack, which showed no sign of impact damage. The pilot replaced the spark plug, and the engine ran successfully with no problems encountered. The inspector noted that the pilot had experienced numerous engine problems during the 40 hours of phase 1 flights required in the operations specifications of the airplane. Upon completing phase 1, the engine was overhauled by the shop that had built up the engine originally. It had 4 hours since being reinstalled on the airplane. The pilot stated that the engine was totally assembled when he received it, and that he did not install or remove the spark plugs. According to the pilot, the Volkswagen, VE-2276, 100-horsepower engine in his airplane only has one spark plug in each cylinder. The spark plug, Champion part number RA6HC, was installed by the engine’s manufacturer.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3784A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3784A-2021-07-31), registration cancelled 2021-07-31, S/N 5319, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Ronald V White CH701
- Registry model: [White Ronald V CH 701](https://openairdocs.org/model/white-ronald-v-ch-701) (registry code 05903UK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 5319
- Engines: Volkswagon VE-2276 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Ronald V White
- Registered owner: Ronald V White
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: E37, Pima, AZ
- Destination: E37, Pima, AZ

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 24, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 1,822 total, 35 in this make and model, 1,756 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 99 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: KSAD

## 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 20100709037939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100709037939A), Jul 9, 2010: White Ronal CH 701, Pima, AZ, Substantial damage. On July 09, 2010, about 1735 mountain standard time (MST), an amateur built zenair CH701 stol, N3784A, with the pilot and one passenger had departed the flying…

## Other investigations on N3784A (1)

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.

- [NTSB GAA20CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA039), Oct 20, 2019: Zenair CH 701 (N3784A), Safford, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight separation of a propeller blade for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in an off-airport landing on soft sand and the separation of…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76578. 604 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 511 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333628&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation with FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347758&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.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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