N116GS – Spittler Rans S-16 – 2006-08-04 NTSB Accident Report

On August 04, 2006, a Spittler Rans S-16 (N116GS) was involved in an incident near Plattsmouth, NE. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation which resulted from a binding within the fuel servo. A factor associated with the accident was the high vegetation that was encountered during the forced landing.

The airplane collided with rough terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported they were practicing touch and go landings when the engine power decreased by 100 to 150 rpm during takeoff. The pilot confirmed the boost pump position, the mixture setting, and the fuel quantity. He reported that at an altitude of about 500 feet above the ground the engine power decreased smoothly to zero. The pilot reported there were crop fields on both sides of his path with a slew in the middle so he elected to land straight ahead in the slew. The airplane touched down in the four foot tall grass at which time the nose and right main landing gears collapsed resulting in structural damage to the airplane.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI06CA237. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N116GS.