NTSB Identification: CEN12LA661
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 27, 2012 in Kenosha, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/12/2013
Aircraft: LAKE LA4, registration: N1127L
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The accident flight was the airplane’s first flight after its annual maintenance inspection was completed. The pilot stated that the pretakeoff engine run-up was normal; however, during the takeoff, the engine started to "sputter”; the pilot continued the flight straight ahead, but the engine subsequently lost total power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a grassy area. Examination and test run of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination and test run of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
On September 27, 2012, about 1430 central daylight time, a Lake LA-4 airplane, N1127L, conducted a forced landing shortly after departing from the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), Kenosha, Wisconsin. The commercial rated pilot, sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight was originated from ENW, at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that the airplane had undergone an annual maintenance inspection and the accident flight was its first flight, since the work was performed. The pilot added that the run-up was normal. Part way down the runway, the engine started to "sputter"; he continued the flight straight ahead. The engine then lost power and he performed a forced landing to a grassy area.
The airplane was inspected on-site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The inspector reported that the airplane’s wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage, as well as damage to the landing gear. The inspector also noted that the airplane’s fuel selector was in the off position and electric fuel pump circuit breaker was pulled. The inspector reported that the pilot stated that he turned both off after the accident. The pilot added that he used a checklist before takeoff, he didn’t apply carburetor heat, and that the airplane was not known to have carburetor icing problems.
A review of the carburetor icing probability chart, located in the FAA's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, dated June 30, 2009, and relevant meteorological data, revealed that the weather conditions for carburetor icing were favorable for serious icing at glide power.
On October 17, 2012 under the supervision of the FAA inspector, an engine examination and test run was conducted. The inspector stated no abnormalities with the engine were found and it performed flawlessly during the engine test run. During the examination, the airplane’s fuel selector was turned to the off position and the engine started. The engine was then run through a run-up sequence, then at low rpm for 20 seconds; the engine ran at full power for another 20 seconds before quitting. A second test was performed without conducting the run-up sequence; the engine then ran for 35 seconds at full power before quitting. The inspector also noted that the carburetor heat control was not operational. He was able to free the linkage by applying pressure at the carburetor’s end of the control. The control then was functional from the cockpit, and worked during the subsequent engine runs. The inspector added that the control did not appear to have sustained any damage during the accident.
NTSB Identification: CEN12LA661
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, September 27, 2012 in Kenosha, WI
Aircraft: LAKE LA4, registration: N1127L
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 27, 2012, about 1430 central standard time, a Lake LA-4 airplane, N1127L, experienced a loss of engine power while departing from the Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW), Kenosha, Wisconsin. The commercial rated pilot, sole occupant, was not injured during the forced landing and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan.
The pilot reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, that the airplane recently undergone maintenance and the accident flight was its first flight, since the work was performed. The pilot added that the run-up was normal and he departed on runway 7 right. Part way down the runway, the engine started to “sputter”; the airplane became airborne and he continued the flight straight ahead. The engine then quit and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field; during the landing the airplane’s wing impacted a tree. The FAA inspector reported that the airplane’s wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 1127L Make/Model: LA4 Description: LA-4/200, BUCCANEER
Date: 09/27/2012 Time: 1920
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: KENOSHA State: WI Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A ROUGH RUNNING AIRCRAFT CAUSING IT TO
LAND OFF AIRPORT. KENOSHA, WI
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Take-off Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: MILWAUKEE, WI (GL13) Entry date: 09/28/2012
Raw Video: http://www.wisn.com
A plane crashed into a field across from the Kenosha Airport and next to the Kenosha County Detention Center this afternoon.
No one was injured
From a Sheriff’s Department statement:
This afternoon at 1423 hours The Kenosha Sheriff’s Department and the Kenosha Fire Department responded to the scene of a single engine airplane crash at the Kenosha County Detention Center, 4777 88th Ave.
Initial reports are that the airplane was taking off from the Kenosha Municipal Airport, which is across 88th avenue from the detention center. The airplane failed to gain altitude and crash landed in a grassy area north of the access road on the north side of the Detention Center. The airplane was several hundred feet from the Detention Facility structure. The integrity of the building and the security of the facility were never at risk of being compromised. One of the wings of the plane hit a tree which caused the plane to spin around. The pilot was the sole occupant of the airplane and was uninjured. The FAA is being contacted.
http://www.kenowi.com
KENOSHA, Wis. — Authorities in Kenosha responded to a call of a plane crash on Thursday afternoon.
St. Bill Beth of the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said initial reports suggest the single-engine plane was taking off from the Kenosha Municipal Airport and failed to gain altitude.
The plane landed in a grassy area north of the access road near the county detention facility.
Beth said one of the wings struck a tree, but that the security of the detention facility was not at risk.
Sheriff's officials said the pilot was not injured in the crash and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident.
Raw Video: http://www.wisn.com
