Vans RV-9A, G-CDCD, 6 August 2013

Vans RV-9A, G-CDCD

Summary:

The aircraft was flying circuits but on the downwind leg of the second circuit the engine stopped and appeared to windmill. The pilot turned the aircraft into wind and selected a field for a forced landing. Unfortunately, the aircraft overran and struck a fence, hedge and small trees, tiping onto its nose and coming to rest in a vertical, nose-down attitude.

Two anomalies were subsequently found which could have caused the engine to fail. Contaminated fuel was drained from the filter bowl and three of the four bolts which secured a timing gear to the crankshaft were found to have failed and exhibited extensive high cycle fatigue. It could not be confirmed which mechanism had caused the failure.

Download report:

Vans RV-9A, G-CDCD 04-14.pdf (260.60 kb)

Published 10 December 2014