Summary
On August 26, 2017, a Paul Gaywood E CH 601 HD (N9066F) was involved in an incident near Goldendale, WA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
On August 26, 2017, at 0815 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built CH601 HD airplane, N9066F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Goldendale, Washington. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot stated that the day before the accident, he had found “bad” fuel, and he subsequently drained all the fuel from the airplane and refueled it. He then performed extensive ground runs of the engine and believed that the issue was resolved.
On the day of the accident, he checked the fuel for water twice, but no water was present when he sumped the gascolator.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR17LA194. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N9066F.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 26, 2017, at 0815 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built CH601 HD airplane, N9066F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Goldendale, Washington. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot stated that the day before the accident, he had found “bad” fuel, and he subsequently drained all the fuel from the airplane and refueled it. He then performed extensive ground runs of the engine and believed that the issue was resolved.
On the day of the accident, he checked the fuel for water twice, but no water was present when he sumped the gascolator. He performed a ground run with no discrepancies, shut down the engine and checked for leaks; there were none. Following an engine run-up that revealed no anomalies, he initiated a takeoff, and about 75 ft above the ground, the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing to an area of rocky, uneven terrain, during which the left wing sustained substantial damage.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and engine and did not find any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR17LA194