No fatalities

16 Aug 2009: FISHER MICHAEL H T-BIRD II — FISHER MICHAEL H — Dundee, OH

Dundee, OH, United States

On 16 Aug 2009, a FISHER MICHAEL H T-BIRD II operated by FISHER MICHAEL H was involved in an aviation accident near Dundee, OH. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the outer crankshaft seal. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

While flying at 400-500 feet, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted restart but failed, and the airplane contacted an embankment during an off-airport emergency landing in a corn field. The pilot reported a faulty outer crankshaft seal caused a loss of fuel pressure. The pilot did not hold a pilot certificate.

Overview

An aircraft experienced a loss of engine power while flying at an altitude of 400 to 500 feet above the ground. The pilot subsequently attempted an off-airport emergency landing in a corn field, during which the airplane contacted an embankment.

Engine Failure

According to the pilot, the engine lost power while at altitude. The pilot stated that he attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The pilot later reported that the outer crankshaft seal on the ignition side of the engine was not fully functional. This resulted in a drop in vacuum pressure, which led to a loss of fuel pressure.

Emergency Landing

Following the engine failure, the pilot performed an off-airport emergency landing. The airplane touched down in a corn field. During the landing, the aircraft contacted an embankment. No further details about the extent of damage or injuries were provided.

Pilot Certificate

It was reported that the pilot did not hold a pilot certificate at the time of the incident.

Additional Details

The incident occurred while the aircraft was in flight at a low altitude. The specific aircraft type, registration, engine count, date, operator, location, occupants, injuries, damage items, time of day, weather conditions, and ATC involvement were not specified in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Recip eng rear section — Failure

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome