# NTSB WPR22LA002: Zenith CH750, N99HX, Oregon City, OR, October 2, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 2, 2021, 16:46 local (23:46 UTC) - Place: Oregon City, OR · 20290 Timbersky Way, Clackamas, OR, 97015 - Coordinates: 45.311799, -122.55218 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3118&lon=-122.5522&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA, Rotech Flight Safety Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 104033 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104033/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104033 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA002 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [George R Johnson STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05635RM), [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. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [George R Johnson STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05635RM), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [George R Johnson STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05635RM), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [George R Johnson STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05635RM), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, following an uneventful local flight, as he turned onto final approach to land, the passenger told him that she smelled something burning, and shortly after the pilot did as well. The pilot stated that, a few moments later, the sound of the engine changed for about 5 seconds, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot realized he was unable to make it to the airport so he initiated an off-airport landing. During the landing sequence, the airplane impacted trees and terrain before it nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that before the flight, he refueled the left wing fuel tank with 4 gallons of automotive fuel, to a level of fuel between 7 and 10 gallons, and had noted the right wing contained 2 to 4 gallons of fuel. Additionally, he reported that he did not visually verify the fuel quantity in the right fuel tank, however, he did “dip” the left fuel tank. The pilot reported that the right fuel tank was empty after the accident and the left fuel tank was leaking “slightly.” Postaccident examination of the recovered airplane revealed the fuel valves between the header tank and the wings were in the “off” position, and the fuel valve from the header tank to the electronic fuel pump was in the “on” position. The header fuel tank was empty. About a teaspoon of fuel was removed from the mechanical fuel pump. No fuel was observed within either carburetor float bowl. A fuel source was attached to the engine inlet fuel pump, and the engine was successfully run. Each main fuel tank can hold a maximum of 24 gallons of fuel of which 22 gallons are usable. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions were observed with the recovered engine or airframe. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 2021, about 1646 Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built Zenith CH750 airplane, N99HX, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near the Fairways Airport, Oregon City, Oregon. The pilot was not injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he departed about an hour before the accident. Following an uneventful local flight, he entered the airport traffic pattern on left downwind for runway 32. After the pilot turned onto final approach, the passenger told him she smelled something burning, and shortly after the pilot did as well. The pilot stated that, a few moments later, the sound of the engine changed for about 5 seconds, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot realized he was unable to make it to the airport and initiated an off-airport landing between two tall trees. During the landing sequence, the airplane impacted trees and terrain before it nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. Following the accident, the pilot reported that the right fuel tank appeared to be empty, and that some fuel was leaking “slightly” from the left wing fuel tank. The pilot reported that, after refueling the airplane's left wing with 4 gallons of automotive fuel before the flight, the left wing contained about 10 gallons of fuel and the right wing contained about 3 gallons of fuel. When asked about verifying the fuel levels, the pilot stated that he measured the right fuel tank using the electronic flight information system and did not “dip the tank.” He said that the left fuel tank was “right between 3 and 4 gallons” before he added fuel, and that the after he fueled the left wing, it was at “7 gallons dipped via a dip stick.” The pilot reiterated that it was “7” gallons when he finished refueling and that the fuel burn rate was about 4.3 gallons per hour. The pilot reported on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form that the airplane had 10 to 11 gallons of fuel at the time of takeoff. Postaccident examination of the recovered airplane revealed the fuel valves between the header tank and the wings were in the “off” position, and the fuel valve from the header tank to the electronic fuel pump was in the “on” position. The header fuel tank was void of any fuel. About a teaspoon of fuel was removed from the mechanical fuel pump. The electric fuel pump was turned on, and the pump emitted a loud audible noise, consistent with operating with no liquid (cavitating). No fuel was observed within either carburetor float bowl. The engine was test run “for several seconds” uneventfully. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions were observed with the recovered engine or airframe. The airplane was equipped with 2 wing fuel tanks (left and right), which have a total capacity of 24 gallons of fuel, of which 22 gallons is usable. Inaddition to the fuel tanks, the airplane was equipped with a 1.6 gallon header tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99HX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N99HX), registered now, S/N 8423, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ZENITH CH750 - Registry model: [George R Johnson STOL CH750](https://openairdocs.org/model/george-r-johnson-stol-ch750) (registry code 05635RM) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 8423 - Year built: 2016 - Airframe hours: 241 - Engines: Rotax 912 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 2, 2021, 62 hours before - Airport: OG20, Fairways, runway 16/34, 2,900 × 160 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 221 total, 45 in this make and model, 140 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: KUAO, 10 nm away - METAR: KUAO 022353Z 09003KT 10SM CLR 22/08 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP201 T02170078 10222 20139 56015 ## 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 20211002017399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211002017399A), Oct 2, 2021: George R Johnson STOL CH750, Oregon City, OR, Destroyed. During landing aircraft lost power in downwind. Pilot executed 180 degree turn to land at runway. Aircraft impacted tree and landed in backyard of house. ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104033. 18.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15594913&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Rotax field notes (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 129 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15595012&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=rotax%20field%20notes-Rel.pdf - Rotax email correspondance (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15594227&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=rotax%20email_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - pilot (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15595363&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - pilot (2) (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15594951&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Pilot%20%20MH-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 11.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15595658&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16182903&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=wreckage%20release_Redacted-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.