Accident Details
On October 13, 2021, about 1020 Pacific daylight time, an Avid Mark IV experimental airplane, registration N583DM, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing near Payette, Idaho. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The non-certificated pilot was not injured.
Pilot Information
The pilot, who held no pilot certificate, reported a total of 4 hours of flight time in his logbook. He stated to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he had previously flown mostly ultralight airplanes, and those flights were not recorded in his logbook. Maintenance logbooks were not located during the investigation.
Engine Failure and Landing
According to the pilot, while in level flight at about 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine began to intermittently lose power. He activated the fuel pump, but shortly thereafter the engine shut down completely. The pilot turned the airplane 180 degrees to the north and attempted to land in a cultivated field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination revealed bent tubular structures near the landing gear attachment, forward cabin areas, and vertical stabilizer. The airplane’s fuel system header tank lacked an outlet screen, and the fuel selector valve contained a large quantity of debris originating from the fiberglass fuel tanks. According to the FAA inspector who examined the wreckage, the contamination most likely resulted from the construction and previous repairs of the fuel and header fuel tanks.