N324DJ

On September 23, 2020, about 1145 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Glasair 1RG, N324DJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hagerstown, Maryland. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, the airplane had been repaired over a period of 6 months at Hagerstown Regional Airport-Richard A Henson Field (HGR), Hagerstown, Maryland. He recalled the airplane’s fuel tanks to be about half full when he dropped the airplane off for repairs in March 2020. On the day of the accident, the pilot conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane in the repair station’s hangar. During the preflight inspection, he observed fuel in the fuel tanks but could not say how much fuel was present. He also found discrepancies with the repair work that had been completed. Once the repairs were finished, the pilot finished the preflight inspection, did not add any fuel, conducted a run-up, and took off from HGR, remaining in the traffic pattern conducting takeoffs and landings. While on the crosswind leg following the third takeoff, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot continued a circling approach to runway 2, but the airplane stalled and impacted terrain about 500 ft short of the runway. Firefighters and a witness on scene reported no fire, fuel leaking, or fuel smell at the accident site.

An inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that all major components of the airplane were located at the accident site; there was substantial damage to the fuselage and the left wing. The engine and airframe were later examined by an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board and an FAA inspector. Trace amounts of fuel were found in both the carburetor and fuel pump, but no fuel was noted in any of the three fuel tanks or fuel lines. The examination revealed engine continuity to the crankshaft and valvetrain by rotating the propeller by hand. All valve push rods and rocker arms were undamaged and operated as expected. The top spark plugs were removed and appeared normal. Both magnetos produced spark on all leads when the engine was rotated by hand and each plug wire was grounded to the engine. The carburetor was removed, examined, and appeared to operate as designed. The engine-driven fuel pump was removed and operated; all parts moved without resistance, and a crack was observed on the fuel intake port that was from impact forces. There was no apparent engine damage that would have precluded normal operation.