Harpster HAWK AERO TANDEM N4022P

Summary

On 19 June 2007 at about 00:15 local time, a Harpster HAWK AERO TANDEM registered N4022P was involved in an accident near Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were 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

19 June 2007 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Moore County (SOP)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Harpster HAWK AERO TANDEM

Registration

N4022P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Southern Pines → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI07LA205

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power during cruise due to the piston seizure for undetermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered during the forced landing. A factor was the rising terrain of the mound that the airplane impacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The experimental amateur-built Hawk Aero Tandem airplane sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power during cruise. The pilot stated that he had lost engine power after restarting the engine twice. He impacted a mound with his nose landing gear. A witness saw liquid in the fuel tank when the airplane was disassembled. The airplane was powered by a Hirth 2706 fuel-injected engine. The Blue Max two cycle oil's recommended fuel and oil ratio was 100:1. An engine manual supplement noted that the recommended fuel and oil mixture was 90:1 for fuel injected engines. The pilot reported that he used a 100:1 fuel/oil ratio. A representative of the engine repair facility stated, "This engine experienced a piston seizure of the mag[neto] end piston. ... The PTO side piston is undamaged and from inspection of this cylinder it appears that possibly there was too lean of an oil mix in the fuel."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.