Pilot Debrief

DEVOE CLIP WING near Melbourne, AR — 2015-07-16

Final reportCEN15LA308
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Date
2015-07-16
Location
Melbourne, AR, USA
Aircraft
DEVOE CLIP WING
Registration
N80917
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence and the postaccident engine examination, which led to a forced landing on unsuitable terrain due to the pilot’s decision not to deploy the ballistic parachute when sufficient altitude was available to do so.

NTSB narrative

The recreational pilot was delivering the airplane to a new owner at a nearby airport. During the delivery flight, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that the airplane was about 1,000 ft above the ground and that he thought the terrain looked suitable for a landing, so he did not deploy the parachute. However, as the airplane continued to descend, the pilot noted that the terrain was covered with tall grass but that, at the airplane's altitude, deploying the parachute was no longer an option. The airplane subsequently impacted rough terrain, and the pilot sustained serious injuries. An examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact flight control anomalies. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed no preimpact mechanical issues. The fuel filter and carburetor bowl contained some contamination and the temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing at glide and cruise power settings. In addition, the throttle was found in the "off" position. The investigation could not determine which of these conditions, if any, caused the loss of engine power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel line integrity before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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