N489C

On June 16, 2022, about 0830 central daylight time, a Meyers 200A airplane, N489C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mid Valley Airport (TXW), Weslaco, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he intended to complete a cross-country flight to Florida and had about 65 gallons of fuel onboard before departure. After departing from TXW, he entered the left traffic pattern to overfly the runway before proceeding to the northeast. While on the downwind leg, the engine sustained a total loss of power and the propeller continued to windmill. As he turned toward the airport, he extended the airplane’s landing gear because he believed the airplane would reach the runway. However, the additional drag of the extended landing gear increased the airplane’s descent rate and the airplane descended into an area of trees short of the runway. The airplane collided with trees and came to rest vertically with the tail resting on a tree (Figure 1). Witnesses converged on the accident site and assisted the pilot’s egress from the airplane.

Figure 1. Accident airplane nose down in a field and against a tree (Courtesy of Texas DPS).

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the engine mounts, forward fuselage, and both wings. The header fuel tank contained fuel. The gascolator had very little fuel and did not reveal signs of damage to the unit or the nearby structure. The gascolator butterfly valve did not appear to have any damage or evidence of dislocation from impact. There was still fuel in all the fuel tanks except the left inboard main tank, which was breached during the accident and was the only noticeable damage to the airframe fuel system. The fuel selector valve worked as designed and with no obstructions noted when air was blown through each tank selection. The fuel lines appeared new and were free of any restrictions. Fuel was observed in the fuel lines connected to the auxiliary fuel pump. The fuel lines were impact separated at the firewall due to the accident sequence. The induction air box and associated air filter were in place and not obstructed.

The engine was mostly separated from the firewall mounts and the propeller separated from the engine. All oil and fuel lines were intact and secured. The crankcase and cylinders were intact with minimal damage. All engine accessories remained intact and attached at their respective mounts. The magnetos, ignition wires, and spark plugs operated as designed and produced spark when tested as an assembly. The crankshaft rotated without anomalies via the propeller flange. Suction and compression were obtained from each cylinder. All fuel lines to the engine-driven fuel pump, fuel servo, fuel manifold, and fuel injectors were intact and secure. The fuel servo screen was clear. The fuel servo’s throttle plate moved when the throttle arm was actuated from stop-to-stop and all control linkages were intact and secure. The mixture arm moved from stop-to-stop. The fuel manifold was undamaged and in place with no debris or anomalies noted. All fuel injectors were free of obstructions. The oil filter was intact. The oil filter element was free of metallic debris and contaminants and the oil color appeared normal. The examination did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunction or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.