Background
On August 27, 2013, about 1708 Hawaiian standard time, an American Champion 8KCAB (registration N413JJ) departed Honolulu International Airport for a local personal flight under Visual Flight Rules. No flight plan was filed. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91.
Accident Sequence
The pilot reported that about 30 seconds after completing an Immelmann maneuver, while in straight and level flight at 4,000 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that the airplane did not exceed the 2-minute inverted flight limitation. Despite repeated attempts, the engine could not be restarted. The pilot radioed for landing at Wheeler Army Airfield (PHHI), but during the approach realized the airplane could not reach the runway. He turned right toward a clearing. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in a field about 1 mile from PHHI.
Injuries and Damage
The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer.
Postaccident Examination
The following day, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane. No pre-impact anomalies were observed with the airframe. Continuity from cockpit controls to the engine was established. The engine appeared intact with no visible damage. No fuel leakage was observed on the ground. The fuel header tank contained about 3/4 gallon (half full). Main tank fuel quantities could not be determined because the aircraft was inverted.
Several days later, the airplane was recovered to a storage facility. Once the aircraft was turned right side up, a small amount of fuel was visible in each main tank. One main tank held about 1–2 gallons, and the other a small amount. It could not be determined if fuel had leaked while the airplane was inverted.
Fuel System
The airplane is equipped with two main tanks and a header tank, total capacity 40 gallons (39 usable). The fuel selector has two positions: on and off. According to the Pilot Operating Handbook, a 1.5-gallon header tank provides limited fuel while inverted, with a standpipe allowing half the header capacity to be used in the inverted position.
Engine and Airframe Tests
Under FAA supervision, a certified mechanic examined the engine and airframe. A quart or two of fuel was drained from each main tank while the wings were stored horizontally. The gasolator fuel was clear and the screen clean. No internal damage was found. A test run was conducted with a replacement propeller (the accident propeller was impact-damaged). Fuel was supplied via a line to the electric fuel pump inlet. The engine started immediately and ran smoothly through various power settings, with no anomalies observed.
Maintenance and Fuel Records
The most recent 100-hour inspection was on September 14, 2012, at 778 hours total time since new on both engine and airframe. The pilot's fuel logs indicated a potential error on July 12, 2013, where tachometer time was used instead of flight time, resulting in 0.3 gallons unaccounted. The airplane flew 2.9 hours since last refueling on August 24, 2013. A fuel purchase invoice showed 15.2 gallons added; according to the pilot's logs, 30.4 gallons remained before that purchase. The logs used an average fuel burn of 7.38 gallons per hour. The Pilot Operating Handbook lists cruise fuel flow between 7.6 and 12.0 gallons per hour depending on rpm and manifold pressure.
Additional Data
A multi-functional display unit was removed and sent to the NTSB Recorders laboratory, but the downloaded flight data was unreliable and provided no accurate information.