Accident Overview
On April 27, 2019, about 1500 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Zodiac CH 601 HDS, registration N61PG, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. The incident occurred about one mile from Fuquay/Angier Field Airport (NC78), Angier, North Carolina. The sport pilot, who was also the aircraft's registered owner, sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Gilliam-McConnell Airfield (BQ1), Carthage, North Carolina, about 1415, and was destined for NC78.
Pilot and Flight Details
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airmen records, the pilot held a sport pilot certificate with an endorsement for airplane single-engine land. He did not hold a medical certificate, as he was operating under sport pilot rules. His most recent flight review was in February 2019, and he had accumulated 337 total flight hours, 53 hours of which were in the accident airplane. The pilot reported that he departed BQ1 with about 15 gallons of fuel onboard and proceeded en route without issue until about 10 miles from his destination, where the engine "stumbled/stuttered briefly and then resumed running normally." About one or two minutes later, the engine again started to run rough, surge, and cut in and out.
Engine and Fuel System Description
According to FAA airworthiness and airplane maintenance records, the single-engine low-wing airplane was powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine driving a three-blade fixed-pitch propeller. An annual condition inspection was completed in December 2018. The airplane and engine had accumulated 723.9 hours of total flight time at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the airplane's fuel system contained two 8-gallon wing tanks that fed into one 8-gallon header tank, which supplied fuel to the dual carburetors on the engine. A sight gauge mounted on the instrument panel indicated the fuel level in the header tank; when the level dropped below about 5 gallons, the pilot could select an electrical switch to transfer fuel from either wing tank via electric automotive fuel pumps installed in each wing tank. The header tank required refilling about every 25-30 minutes. Additionally, two fuel pumps—one mechanically driven by the engine and one electrically driven—supplied fuel from the header tank to the engine.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that about 10 minutes before the engine began to run rough, he had refilled the header tank from the left wing. When the engine started running rough, he turned on the electric fuel pump that supported fuel delivery from the header tank to the engine. He observed the engine instruments, which all appeared normal, but the engine was "losing more and more power" and the airplane continued to lose altitude. The engine continued to run rough and momentarily "cut out" but did not stop completely. As the airplane approached about 1,000 ft above ground level, about two miles from NC78, the pilot decided to pull the throttle to idle and approached a field for an off-airport landing. The airplane touched down in a rough farm field, and during the landing roll, it impacted a pile of dirt and nosed over.
Weather Conditions
At 1500, weather conditions reported at Harnett Regional Jetport Airport (HRJ), Erwin, North Carolina, 10 miles south of the accident site, included visibility 10 miles, clear skies, wind 240° at 6 knots, temperature 24°C, dew point 2°C, and barometric pressure of 29.91 inches of mercury. According to an FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart accounting for these conditions, the engine was not at risk for carburetor icing at glide or cruise power.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector examined the airplane at a recovery facility three days after the accident. The fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. Both carburetors had fuel in their respective bowls, and fuel was present in both wing tanks and the header tank. The fuel was absent of debris or water contamination. About three months after the accident, the engine was examined by a representative from the engine manufacturer, overseen by an FAA inspector. The airplane's engine-driven fuel pump and fuel lines leading to the carburetors did not contain any remnants of fuel. The engine's spark, compression, and continuity were evaluated by performing an engine test run. The engine started and operated without issue at multiple power settings when fuel was supplied to the carburetors via the engine-driven fuel pump from an external fuel source. It was not possible to utilize the airplane's existing fuel supply system due to the damage sustained in the accident. Photographs of the fuel filters provided by the pilot showed no debris or obstruction. The pilot reported that he utilized high octane-93 automotive fuel as per engine manufacturer recommendations and discovered no debris or water in the fuel prior to or after the accident.