Accident Overview
On July 3, 2022, about 0735 mountain daylight time, an experimental Vans RV-6 airplane, registration N184CB, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Aurora, Colorado. The pilot was not injured; the passenger sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight and Power Loss
The airplane had 35 gallons of fuel onboard for the cross-country flight. Shortly after takeoff from runway 26, as the pilot initiated a left turn, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot contacted the control tower regarding the power loss and was cleared to land on runway 8. After assessing altitude and airspeed, the pilot determined that landing on runway 8 was not possible and elected to perform a forced landing straight ahead into a flat cornfield. The airplane came to rest upright, and the occupants egressed without further incident.
Damage and Examination
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and lower fuselage. A postaccident examination revealed a piece of black plastic material lodged in the carburetor throttle body downstream of the air intake filter. The foreign object debris (FOD) resembled material used in common trash bags. The pilot reported no knowledge of the FOD's origin.
Maintenance History
The pilot, acting as a repairman, last accessed the area consisting of the air filter, air filter bowl, and carburetor in April 2021 to perform inspection work. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated about 62 flight hours since that inspection. In RV-6 series airplanes, the carburetor heat valve provides heated air forward of the air filter; thus, the carburetor heat air flow does not bypass the air filter.