What happened
On April 4, 2026, at approximately 13:39 EDT, a Girardeau Samuel G Sonex-A, registration N106D, was involved in an accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
Seven to eight minutes after departing from Eastern WV Regional Airport (MRB), the pilot observed rising engine exhaust gas temperatures (EGT) while using a full rich mixture. Due to the increasing EGT, the pilot decided to return to the airport. During the return flight, while at an altitude of approximately 2,500 feet, the engine began to sputter and suffered a partial loss of power. The pilot declared an emergency with airway traffic control.
Unable to reach the airport, the pilot performed an emergency landing in an open field. Following touchdown, the aircraft failed to stop, subsequently striking a fence and crossing a road before coming to a rest against a second fence. A metal fence post pierced the fuselage, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot and passenger were not injured.