Davis-Zenair STOL CH 801 N10627

Summary

On 21 July 2004 at about 17:30 local time, a Davis-Zenair STOL CH 801 registered N10627 was involved in an accident near Erie, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2004 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Erie, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Erie-Tri-County (48V)

Coordinates

40.0206, -105.0399

Aircraft

Davis-Zenair STOL CH 801

Registration

N10627

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Erie → Erie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN04LA108

Nobody was injured.

impact with terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power for underdetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the airplane's 1988 liquid-cooled Mazda Twin-rotor automotive engine had accumulated approximately 2,500 road miles, but the airplane had accumulated a total of only 1.5 hours of flight time. The pilot said he was conducting the initial test flight and had completed 10 takeoffs and landings on runway 33. While on crosswind following the 11th takeoff, he noticed that the indicated engine coolant temperature had increased from, a normal operating temperature of 110 degrees F., to 220 degrees F. The increase in temperature was followed by a drop in engine rpm and a partial loss of engine power. Unable to maintain pattern altitude, the pilot attempted to land on runway 09, but the pilot was forced to land in a plowed field approximately 200 feet short of the runway. The impact displaced the left wing aft, collapsed the nose landing gear assembly, and buckled the firewall. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.