WPR23LA304

The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the engine’s power decreased to a point where the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing at an airport that he had just overflown. However, after making the 180° turn, the airplane could not maintain airspeed or altitude, and the pilot chose to land on a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing separated after impacting a fence. The wreckage was subsequently disposed of by the pilot (who owned the airplane), which precluded postaccident examination of the airframe. A repair facility purchased the engine and repeated attempts to gather additional information from the facility were unsuccessful. According to the pilot, the repair facility inspected the engine and found no mechanical anomalies. Based on this information, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

On August 6, 2023, about 1230 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built White Lightning airplane, N25WL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, New Mexico. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he was flying from Boulder, Colorado, to his home airport of Ohkay Owingeh (E14), Espanola, New Mexico. After maneuvering to avoid clouds in his flight path, he flew toward Las Vegas Municipal Airport (LVS), Las Vegas, New Mexico, with the intent to continue on toward E14. As he passed LVS, he noted that the airspeed was decreasing and the airplane was not maintaining altitude, but the engine was still running. He turned back toward LVS and conducted a forced landing on a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing impacted a fence and the airplane spun to a stop in a field. The pilot, who owned the airplane, recovered the airplane and disposed of the wreckage and engine. The engine, which was fuel injected, was sold to a repair facility; repeated attempts to gather additional information from this facility were unsuccessful. According to the pilot, the repair facility inspected the engine and found no mechanical anomalies.