# NTSB WPR16LA184: OGG Richard A OGG Glasair I, N70GG, Reno, NV, September 17, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 17, 2016, 11:25 local (18:25 UTC) - Place: Reno, NV - Coordinates: 39.677223, -119.877777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6772&lon=-119.8778&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 November 28, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94037 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR16LA184 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94037/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94037 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA184 ## Probable cause The failure of an induction elbow following an engine backfire, which resulted in an in-flight fire and loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Power plant: air intake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 50 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057160/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: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot reported that the engine operated normally during the takeoff and initial climb to join up in race formation for the start of a closed course air race. During the initial climb, the pilot tested the nitrous system with no anomalies noted. At the start of the race, the airplanes began a descent toward the first pylon. The pilot reported that she smoothly opened the throttle to full and turned the nitrous system on. The airplane flew normally as it accelerated, and the engine sounds were normal. As the airplane passed pylon No. 5, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot then pulled up and declared a mayday. She subsequently saw smoke begin to fill the cabin and flames on both sides of the engine cowling and in the cockpit under the instrument panel. The pilot subsequently landed on a runway, and emergency personnel extinguished the fire. The airplane owner reported that the engine had backfired before the loss of power. The backfire caused an explosion in the induction system, which broke the induction elbow. The throttle body and nitrous injector dropped into the bottom of the cowling and sprayed flammable fluid into the engine compartment, which resulted in the fire and loss of power. ## Factual narrative On September 17, 2016, about 1125 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur built Ogg Glasair I, N70GG, experienced an in-flight fire during a closed course air race flight at the Reno-Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to a private individual, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the air race flight, which originated from RTS about 10 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot reported that at takeoff, she put the throttle into the full open position, and the engine ran normally. During the climb, she turned on the nitrous switch for a few seconds to test the system which was working correctly. A normal increase in power was felt, and all engine parameters were in the green. She turned off the nitrous system and reduced throttle appropriately to join the race formation. At the start of the race, all airplanes are aligned abreast of each other. The pilot reported that in race formation the wingman's eye is on the airplane to the left to keep arranged distance for safety. Wingman do not have much time to spend reading each engine parameter. She glanced at the instrument panel prior to the race, and all engine parameters were in the green. At the start of the race, the airplanes begin a descent toward the first pylon. The pilot reported that she smoothly opened the throttle to full and turned the nitrous system on. She felt acceleration, the airplane flew normally, and the engine sounds were normal. While passing pylon number 5, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot stated that she pulled up and declared a mayday with the intent to land on runway 18, but then heard that the fire trucks were positioning for runway 14. The pilot pulled the propeller lever, but the propeller pitch did not change. Smoke began to fill the cockpit and flames were seen on both sides of the engine cowling and in the cockpit under the instrument panel. The propeller stopped turning; the pilot placed the mixture in the idle cutoff position and the fuel selector valve to the OFF position. She landed on runway 14, exited the airplane, and emergency response personnel extinguished the fire. Examination of the airplane revealed that the forward part of the fuselage and inboard portion of the left wing sustained fire and structural damage. The owner reported that the engine had backfired prior to the loss of power. The backfire caused an explosion in the induction system, breaking the induction elbow. The throttle body and nitrous injector dropped into the bottom of the cowling spraying flammable fluid into the engine compartment, which resulted in the fire and loss of power. ## Aircraft - Registration: N70GG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: OGG RICHARD A OGG GLASAIR I - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 697 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1P reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Air race/show, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 17, 2016 - Departed: RTS, Reno, RI - Destination: RTS, Reno, RI - Airport: RTS, Reno/Stead, runway 14, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 4,800 total, 87 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: KRNO ## 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 20160917015709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160917015709A), Sep 17, 2016: Ogg Richard A OGG-GLASAIR I, Reno, NV, Substantial damage. During the sport class bronze heat, (race) while operation in waivered airspace at the Reno championship air races, N70GG, experience a sudden engine power… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94037. 3.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457789&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Additional Statement (item 2, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Additional%20Statement-Master.PDF - Operator Statement (item 3, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457791&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operator%20Statement-Master.PDF - Evidence Chain of Custody Engine Parts (item 4, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457792&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Evidence%20Chain%20of%20Custody%20Engine%20Parts-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. --- 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.