Overview
On February 11, 2023, at approximately 1406 central standard time, a Jabiru J250-SP light sport airplane (registration N592J) was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Courtland, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The aircraft had flown from Bomar Field/Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) in Shelbyville, Tennessee, after installation of a replacement engine. According to the owner/pilot, the maintenance facility completed about 4 hours of flight testing post-installation. The pilot also flew 4 takeoffs and landings the day before the accident during a return trip to Waukesha County Airport (UES) in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
On the day of the accident, the flight departed SYI around 0945 with full fuel. The pilot and passenger made a brief stop at Ohio County Airport (JQD) in Hartford, Kentucky, at about 1100. The preflight inspection and departure from JQD were normal.
Power Loss and Emergency Response
During cruise at 4,500 ft mean sea level en route to UES, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot reported no warnings or indications prior to the event. After declaring an emergency and diverting toward the nearest airport, the pilot made 4-5 restart attempts. Each attempt resulted in the engine starting momentarily (3-4 seconds) before losing power again, with the propeller stopping each time. The flight displays turned on and off in sync with the engine, providing no usable information, but the radios continued to function.
Forced Landing
The pilot attempted to reach Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DKB) in Dekalb, Illinois, but when it became clear that was not possible, she executed a forced landing to a muddy field. The airplane came to rest on its nose, with damage to the fuselage and right wing.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination at the accident site found approximately 6 gallons of fuel in the left-wing fuel tank. The right-wing fuel tank contained a small, undetermined amount of fuel, but the right wing was damaged in the impact. The carburetor bowl contained fluid consistent with fuel. A post-accident engine examination revealed no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Review of the airplane service manual indicated a total fuel capacity of 36 gallons, published endurance of 6.5 hours with reserve, and fuel consumption of 4.5 to 5.5 gallons per hour. A representative from the maintenance facility noted normal fuel consumption is about 6 gph, but during an engine break-in period, consumption can be as high as 7 gph.
Additionally, a representative explained that the airplane’s EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System) will not operate below 10.5 volts. During an in-flight engine restart using the starter, the voltage drop causes the EFIS to reboot. Multiple restart attempts would lead to continuous rebooting. The radios operate on lower voltage and continue functioning when the starter is engaged.