ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 268551
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 14 October 2021 |
| Time: | 16:22 LT |
| Type: |  Denney Kitfox 4 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9259M |
| MSN: | 1871 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1996 |
| Engine model: | Rotax 582LC |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near North Canaan Aviation Facilities Inc Airport (CT24), CT -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | North Canaan, CT |
| North Canaan, CT | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff during climbout, the engine began to sputter. He checked the magnetos, fuel switches, ignition, and fuel pressure. He did not notice any abnormalities; however, full engine power did not return. He subsequently performed a 180° turn back to the runway, but the airplane was too high and fast to land. The airplane overflew the runway toward a wooded area, and as the pilot attempted to increase power, the engine again sputtered. The pilot maintained a safe airspeed and flew into the tops of the trees. The airplane momentarily was suspended in the trees but then fell vertically and impacted muddy and swampy terrain in a nose-low attitude.
Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that he utilized full carburetor choke to start the engine and partial carburetor choke to warm-up the engine. He could not recall stowing the lever prior to takeoff (as was required for this type of choke) nor did he recall checking the lever during the troubleshooting in-flight. The pilot reported the partial loss of power would worsen only when he attempted to add full power and that the engine would run normally at idle power.
Weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident flight were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power; however, the description of the partial loss of engine power and the phase of flight at which it occurred were not indicative of carburetor icing.
Given the circumstances described by the pilot, it is likely that the carburetor choke remained partially applied during the takeoff and climbout, which flooded the engine at high power settings. Although the spring-loaded choke lever was photographed in the stowed position shortly after the accident, it is possible that the choke switch was moved to that position during the impact sequence or during the pilot's evacuation after the accident.
The pilot reported that he turned back toward the departure runway while he was troubleshooting the engine issue, but the airplane was too high and fast to land and overflew the runway. Had the pilot managed the altitude, airspeed, and course toward the runway better, the collision with trees likely could have been avoided and a safe landing likely could have been made at the airport.
Probable Cause: The pilot's mismanagement of the airplane's altitude, airspeed, and course during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power, which resulted in collision with trees and terrain. Contributing was the pilot's inadvertent omission of stowing the carburetor choke before takeoff and in-flight after experiencing a partial loss of engine power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA22LA016
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=9259M
Location
Media:
Single engine, single occupant plane crash in North Canaan at 535 West Main Street off the end of the grass runway at North Canaan Airport. Male occupant taken to Sharon Hospital by North Canaan EMS. FD awaiting CT DEEP and FAA. pic.twitter.com/xXmxXwmDPI
— Jon Barbagallo, Norfolk PIO (@NorfolkPIO1) October 14, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Oct-2021 23:04 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 15-Oct-2021 03:29 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 15-Oct-2021 04:14 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Oct-2021 17:14 | johnwg | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 19-Oct-2021 21:06 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative] |
| 11-Jun-2023 08:13 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [[Narrative]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation