McNabb BUSHMASTER N5090F

Summary

On 4 September 2006 at about 05:00 local time, a McNabb BUSHMASTER registered N5090F, operated by Timothy D. Smithen, was involved in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 September 2006 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Delta Junction (D66)

Coordinates

64.0506, -145.7172

Aircraft

McNabb BUSHMASTER

Registration

N5090F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Timothy D. Smithen

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delta Junction → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC06LA130

1 person had minor injuries.

An electrical short that disabled the electronic ignition system of the airplane's engine during the final approach phase for landing, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with high vegetation. A factor contributing to the accident was the failure of the pilot to maintain proper altitude in the landing pattern to reach the runway during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was accumulating flight hours on an experimental airplane for the builder, as part of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 flight test period to comply with the experimental type certificate. The airplane's engine was an automotive, Ford 3.8L, V-6. It was equipped with an electronic ignition system. After 1.25 hours of flight time, the pilot was on final approach for landing, and when he turned on the airplane's landing light, the engine lost power. He was unable to restart the engine and descended into high vegetation, about 200 feet short of the runway. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and landing gear. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. He found an electrical short in the landing light system. The inspector indicated that the electrical short also disabled the electronic ignition system on the engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.