Pilot Debrief

William Wright Avid Flyer near Cedar City, UT — 2011-04-01

Final reportWPR11LA180
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Date
2011-04-01
Location
Cedar City, UT, USA
Aircraft
William Wright Avid Flyer
Registration
N613HH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

A loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal a specific anomaly that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a local test flight after restoring the airplane and flew for about 1 hour, performing maneuvers and touch-and-go landings. He then returned to the airport and picked up another pilot for a familiarization flight. About 1/2 hour into the second flight, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot subsequently made an emergency landing on an airstrip, and after performing some troubleshooting, he determined that fuel was not getting from the header tank to the engine. The pilot was able to eventually get the fuel flowing again and ran the engine for about 30 minutes on the ground, followed by accomplishing a successful run up. The pilot then departed the airstrip. He reported that the engine ran well until about 200 feet above ground level. The engine then lost all power, and the pilot glided the airplane into 15-foot-tall trees. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed modifications to the exhaust, intake, ignition, and fuel systems that were not approved by the manufacturer. At the conclusion of the examination, it could not be determined if there was a specific malfunction or a combination of the multiple modifications that led to the loss of engine power. According to FAA Advisory Circular AC 20-27F, Certification and Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft, "Amateur builders are free to develop their own designs or build from existing designs.”

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have ensured proper engine modifications before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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