# NTSB WPR20CA132: Cook Sonex, N1222C, Upland, CA, April 27, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 27, 2020, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC) - Place: Upland, CA - Coordinates: 34.110553, -117.681945 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1106&lon=-117.6819&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101212 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101212/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101212 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA132 ## Probable cause A gradual loss of engine power during takeoff due to the pressure regulator not keeping continuous fuel pressure which led to a precautionary off airport landing and collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine fuel and control: fuel pressure indicating](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057332): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cook Gary L SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057332/cases.md?model=05634TB), [All aircraft, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057332/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cook Gary L SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=05634TB), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cook Gary L SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05634TB), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cook Gary L SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05634TB), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he returned from a local flight and was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the second takeoff, as the airplane gained altitude, the engine began to gradually lose power. Unable to return to the runway, the pilot initiated a precautionary landing to a strip of gravel that is perpendicular to the runway. During the landing, the right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that he did not believe there was problem with the engine, but that the problem was with the fuel-to-air mixture caused by the fuel pressure regulator not keeping a continuous constant pressure that led to the gradual loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he returned from a local flight and was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the second takeoff, as the airplane gained altitude, the engine began to gradually lose power. Unable to return to the runway, the pilot initiated a precautionary landing to a strip of gravel that is perpendicular to the runway. During the landing, the right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that he did not believe there was problem with the engine, but that the problem was with the fuel-to-air mixture caused by the fuel pressure regulator not keeping a continuous constant pressure that led to the gradual loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1222C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1222C), registered now, S/N 1662, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: COOK SONEX - Registry model: [Cook Gary L SONEX](https://openairdocs.org/model/cook-gary-l-sonex) (registry code 05634TB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jabiru 3300](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300) (registry code 34801, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1662 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 130 - Engines: Jabiru 3300 120 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 16, 2020 - Departed: CCB, Upland, CA - Destination: CCB, Upland, CA - Airport: CCB, Cable, runway 24, 3,863 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 25, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 639 total, 166 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KCCB ## 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 20200427002589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200427002589A), Apr 27, 2020: Cook Gary L SONEX, Upland, CA, Substantial damage. Airman planned a recurrent flying day in his experimental Sonex. He performed the annual inspection just a few days before this flight. Only about 1.5 to 2… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101212. 4.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10078369&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N1222C_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement - summary of findings (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10079047&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings%20WPR20CA132_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10078670&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR20CA132%20Photograph-Rel.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.