Pilot Debrief

KINNEY KEVIN ZENITH 601XL near Warren, OH — 2010-03-20

Final reportCEN10CA172
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Date
2010-03-20
Location
Warren, OH, USA
Airport
I68
Aircraft
KINNEY KEVIN ZENITH 601XL
Registration
N61601
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to the failure of an oil hose due to improper installation of the hose.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to conduct flight testing of the amateur-built experimental airplane. The pilot was also the owner/builder. He stated that while conducting some clearing turns in preparation for slow flight testing, he observed an oil pressure warning on the engine monitor. The indicated oil pressure was zero. He immediately turned toward the airport and reduced engine power to idle. About 60 seconds after the oil pressure warning, the engine lost power completely. The pilot established best glide airspeed and set up for a forced landing. He noted that he overshot the first field he had selected, but then settled on a second field. The airplane clipped two sets of trees during the approach and struck a wire fence during the landing. The pilot estimated that the airplane slid 20 feet after touching down. A postaccident inspection revealed a failure of an oil hose. Specifically, the return hose from the oil cooler had a 1-inch longitudinal split at a bend in the line. The pilot commented that he might not have properly accounted for the compound S-bend at that location on installation. The airplane had accumulated about 5.4 hours at the time of the accident. The airplane received damage to the firewall and fuselage.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight after the initial oil pressure warning.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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