UNREGSPECTRUM RX 5502011-09-01 NTSB Accident Report

Substantial
Minor

SPECTRUM RX 550S/N: None

Summary

On September 01, 2011, a Spectrum RX 550 (UNREG) was involved in an accident near Hartland, ME. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.

While on a local flight, the pilot of the experimental amateur built airplane experienced a total loss of power. When public safety personnel asked the pilot how the accident occurred he advised that he was circling a field when the engine stopped running. He then executed a forced landing to the field which was not uniformly level. During the landing the right wing hit the ground; the airplane cartwheeled, and then came to rest upside down. When the pilot was asked how the loss of power had occurred, he advised public safety personnel that he believed that water got into the gasoline which caused the engine to stop running. Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors revealed the wing was substantially damaged.

This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA500. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft UNREG.

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, September 1, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA11CA500
Location
Hartland, ME
Event ID
20110923X51306
Coordinates
44.859165, -69.483612
Nearest Airport
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
SPECTRUM
Serial Number
None
Model / ICAO
RX 550

Analysis

While on a local flight, the pilot of the experimental amateur built airplane experienced a total loss of power. When public safety personnel asked the pilot how the accident occurred he advised that he was circling a field when the engine stopped running. He then executed a forced landing to the field which was not uniformly level. During the landing the right wing hit the ground; the airplane cartwheeled, and then came to rest upside down. When the pilot was asked how the loss of power had occurred, he advised public safety personnel that he believed that water got into the gasoline which caused the engine to stop running. Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors revealed the wing was substantially damaged. No registration number was present on the airplane, and no data plate was present on either the airplane or the engine. Review of FAA records revealed the airplane was not registered, and the pilot was not certificated. The FAA also advised the NTSB that no maintenance records were recovered. Despite multiple attempts by NTSB investigators to contact the pilot, no phone calls were returned, correspondence from the NTSB went unanswered, and no NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report was received.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA500