N106RK

On June 14, 2019, at 1855 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Karns Sky Ranger, N106RK, was substantially damaged when it was in an accident at Green Landings Private Residential Airpark (WV22) near Hedgesville, West Virginia. The noncertificated pilot and a passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated that on his way to the airport, he stopped at a gas station and purchased 5 gallons of 93 octane gasoline for the airplane. The fuel tanks were already about ¼ full of fuel or about 5-6 gallons. The airplane had about 10 gallons of fuel for the flight after the pilot added the fuel that he had purchased.

The pilot stated during the takeoff, he moved the throttle control to full power and the engine speed was 5,000 rpm. About 100-150 ft above ground level after takeoff, he felt a loss of engine power and the engine speed decreased to about 3,000 rpm. About 3 seconds later, the engine speed decreased to about 2,300 rpm. He said that he was unable to land on the remaining runway and there were powerlines near the departure end of the runway, so he performed a turn back to the departure runway. He said the airplane was descending due to the loss of engine power and an aerodynamic stall. He then pulled the control yoke because he did not have sight of anything in front of him. The last thing he remembered was hitting an unknown obstacle and passing out.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that responded to the accident stated that he asked the pilot if he had sumped the fuel tank prior to the accident flight. The pilot said he never sumped the fuel tank and did not know about sumping the fuel tank. Post-accident examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded a loss of engine power.

The Eastern WV Regional Airport/Shepherd Field (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia, automated surface observing system, located about 10 miles south of WV22, recorded a temperature and dew point of 73 degrees F and 45 degrees F, respectively. According to a carburetor icing chart, there was a probability for serious carburetor icing present about the time of the accident.