Accident Details
On September 23, 2012, at about 0935 Pacific daylight time, a Navion-A airplane, registration N4418K, experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Lompoc Airport (LPC) in Lompoc, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the resulting forced landing. The certified commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was a personal cross-country operation under 14 CFR Part 91, with a reported destination of Lodi Airport (1O3) in Lodi, California.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that after takeoff and while entering a left downwind leg at 1,200 feet, the engine began to lose power. After turning the boost pump on, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot then turned back toward the departure runway, activated the hydraulic power, and lowered the landing gear. However, realizing he was too far from the runway to make a safe landing, the pilot retracted the landing gear. He maneuvered over power lines, turned approximately 30 degrees to the right, and flew through the lowest gap in the approaching trees. The airplane landed in a soft dirt field and slid about 80 feet before coming to rest upright. Substantial damage was noted to the aft fuselage.
Investigation Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector reported that during an initial inspection of the engine, fuel pressure at the carburetor measured 5 pounds per square inch (psi). After several tests, the pressure increased to 10 psi. A bench test of the relief valve confirmed a pressure of 10.5 psi. The engine requires a minimum fuel pressure of 9 to 15 psi under normal conditions. Further examination of the carburetor and boost pump at KPS Airmotive in Santa Clarita, California, under FAA supervision, revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Maintenance records showed that both magnetos and the airplane's boost pump had been overhauled on June 21, 2012.
Weather at LPC at the time of the accident, reported from a facility about 3 nautical miles north of the site, included wind from 260 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 400 feet, temperature 15°C, dew point 11°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of mercury.
The reason for the reported total loss of engine power was undetermined.