No fatalities

2 Dec 2014: NANCHANG CJ-6 A (N4350D) — Mesa, AZ

Mesa, AZ, United States

On 2 Dec 2014, a NANCHANG CJ-6 A (registration N4350D) was involved in an aviation accident near Mesa, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The total loss of engine power during takeoff following a touch-and-go landing for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. This summary draws on records from NTSB.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A Nanchang CJ-6A lost engine power and landed hard at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona, on December 2, 2014. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries; the aircraft was substantially damaged.

Accident

On December 2, 2014, at 1630 mountain standard time, a Nanchang CJ-6A, registration N4350D, experienced a loss of engine power and subsequently landed hard at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, Arizona. The airplane was owned by Lang Aviation Support Services, LLC, and operated as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot and a single passenger sustained minor injuries, and the airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed.

Flight Sequence

The pilot reported that she intended to perform touch-and-go landings in the traffic pattern. The preflight inspection, engine run-up, and takeoff were all normal. After completing the first landing, she added power for takeoff, and when no usable runway remained, she raised the landing gear. At an altitude of approximately 100 feet above ground level, the engine became silent. The pilot then selected an open area toward which to fly and lowered the landing gear.

Witnesses observed the airplane land hard, bounce, then land a second time before colliding with a trailer and a large pole. The aircraft came to rest inverted. During the accident sequence, the right wing separated from the fuselage. First responders shut off the fuel and magneto switches after the accident.

Post-Accident Examination

On December 16, 2014, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and a certified airframe and power plant mechanic examined the airplane and its engine. The engine crankshaft was rotated, and the carburetor, fuel pump, and spark plugs were inspected. The fuel pump and carburetor were found to contain fuel. The examination did not identify any condition that would have precluded normal engine operation.

Contributing factors

Contributed to outcome