Pilot Debrief

HODGES SAMUEL J RV-7A near Paducah, KY — 2011-08-07

Final reportERA11LA444
Sign in to save
Date
2011-08-07
Location
Paducah, KY, USA
Airport
5KY3
Aircraft
HODGES SAMUEL J RV-7A
Registration
N462WP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power during the initial climb for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

The experimental amateur-built airplane was powered by a fuel-injected, automotive-conversion, rotary engine. Following an uneventful preflight inspection and run-up check of the engine, the pilot departed on the accident flight. During the initial climb, about 200 to 300 feet above the ground, the engine began to "stumble" and lost partial power. The pilot responded by selecting the alternate engine control computer and increasing the richness of the mixture, both to no avail. He subsequently performed a forced landing to a nearby road and the airplane struck a mailbox and a ditch during the landing roll. A postaccident test run of the engine was successful, and during 8 months of subsequent troubleshooting by the pilot during the process of rebuilding the airplane, the engine anomaly encountered on the accident flight could not be duplicated or definitively determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after engine began to stumble.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

Related mishaps