N410MP

On February 16, 2006, approximately 1715 central standard time, a Hodge Express experimental homebuilt airplane, N410MP, was destroyed during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power, near Tyler Pounds Regional airport, (TYR) near Tyler, Texas. The private pilot received serious injuries, and the pilot rated passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Spring City, Tennessee, at an unspecified time, with a planned fuel stop in Meridian, Mississippi, en route to TYR.

The airplane was a four-place, fixed tricycle landing gear, single-engine, low-wing airplane. The airplane structure was built with composites from a kit and powered by a Continental IO-550N reciprocating engine. The kit manufacturer; Wheeler Express, is no longer in business.

A previous owner built the airplane and was granted an Experimental Amateur Built airworthiness certificate in August, 2001. Both the engine and airframe had approximately 250-hours on them since being built. The owner then listed the airplane for sale on an on-line auction website. The owner's ad stated that; 'he believe(ed) she [the airplane] is airworthy"; however, the airplane was being sold under the condition of "AS-IS".

The accident flight occurred when the new owner was ferrying the airplane from the previous owners airstrip, in Tennessee, to his residence in California. In a conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator, the accident pilot stated that he arranged to have the previous owner's mechanic complete an annual inspection on the airplane. The new owner said he was lead to believe the airplane was "safe", so he, assisted by a pilot rated friend, would fly the airplane back to California.

The 3,125-hour commercial pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Airplane Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that after they departed Meridian, Mississippi, the airplane's electrical [system] was "cutting-in-and-out so bad" that he turned it off and used a portable Nav/Com. Prior to reaching TYR, he turned on the number one radio in order to contact TYR tower. The pilot said that during the approach to the airport, when he reduced power, the engine lost power, he stated that he tried emergency starting procedures with no success. The pilot rated passenger then switched fuel tanks, and turned on the electric fuel boost pump to the low position. The pilot reported that the engine "revved up", but then lost power again. The airplane collided with a tree as the pilot tried to slow the airplane, prior to impact with the ground.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who examined the airplane at the accident site, stated that the airplane was destroyed by impact with the terrain and trees. The FAA inspector interviewed the previous owner about the airplane. The inspector reported that the airplane was parked outside at the previous owners residence, and "the airplane did little flying in 2005". In order to complete the sale to the new owner, the airplane flew to a nearby airport where the annual condition was conducted. The inspector also added, that the previous owner told him that he had "deadsticked" to a landing, on the first flight due to engine stoppage at idle.

An engine inspection was conducted on March 1, 2006. The engine sustained minimum impact damage during the accident. The fuel pump and manifold valve appeared normal. The magnetos produced sparks at all terminals. The sparkplugs had normal wear when compared to the Champion Check-A-Plugs comparison card. Additionally, they had light gray deposits in the electrode area. No abnormalities were found, and a reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

The airplane was equipped with an EDM-800 engine monitor. The monitor recorded and stored various engine parameters from several flights. A review of the information for the last flight, failed to show any abnormalities with the engine operation.

A review of the airplane's engine maintenance log, revealed the annual condition inspection was signed-off on February 16, 2006. The mechanic's logbook entry listed: 73/80, 76/80, 72/80, and 76/80 for compression readings for the six-cylinder engine.

In the recommendation section (How this accident could have been prevented) of the Pilot/Operator Airplane Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that he would have never flown the airplane, if a thorough annual inspection had been completed and if the airplane's history of unexplained engine stoppage, had been disclosed to him.

At 1653, the automated weather observing system at TYR, reported wind from 170 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, broken clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 73 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of Mercury.