Accident Details
On June 12, 2011, at approximately 1315 central daylight time, a Lancair 360 kit-built airplane, registration N6ZY, experienced a loss of engine power while in cruise flight near Azle, Texas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated without a flight plan.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that he had recently completed building the airplane and was conducting a local test flight. About an hour after departure, while in cruise flight, the engine gave a “hiccup.” As the pilot proceeded toward his departure airfield, the engine began to lose power. He activated the wing fuel transfer pumps, but the engine continued to lose power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to perform a gear-up forced landing in a field. The pilot stated that as he lined up for the landing, the engine died. He added that he was just able to clear trees and a fence at the beginning of the field; however, the airplane impacted the ground hard. After exiting the airplane and noticing that the fuel tanks had not ruptured, he returned to disconnect the batteries.
Post-Accident Examination
An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site. The left wing was nearly separated from the fuselage, and the entire empennage had broken off just forward of the vertical stabilizer and was lying to the left of the fuselage. Additionally, the propeller had separated from the engine; the crankshaft appeared broken at the crankshaft flange due to ground impact. The inspector noted that the left wing and header fuel tanks were empty, while the right wing fuel tank was full.