Pierson RV-6 N606JP

Summary

On 20 April 2008 at about 17:20 local time, a Pierson RV-6 registered N606JP was involved in an accident near Newark, Illinois, 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

20 April 2008 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Newark, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Cushing Field (0C8)

Coordinates

41.5194, -88.6056

Aircraft

Pierson RV-6

Registration

N606JP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morris → Newark

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA112

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to the fracture of the number 4 exhaust valve, and the pilot's decision to shut-down the engine without sufficient altitude to ensure a safe glide path to the runway. Contributing to the accident was the barbed wire fence located at the end of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during cruise flight he heard a bang and then the engine began to run rough. He immediately diverted to a nearby airport and entered the traffic pattern for a precautionary landing. As the airplane turned onto final approach, he saw an ultralight taxiing on the far-end of the runway that would interfere with his landing roll. He decided to perform a go-around and increased engine power. On the second approach, as the airplane was turning onto final approach, the pilot intentionally shut-down the engine by switching off the ignition and fuel selector. The airplane's main landing gear impacted a barbed-wire fence that bordered the approach end of the runway. The right wing leading edge received substantial impact damage. The propeller and engine support structure were damaged, and the main landing gear had collapsed. During a post-accident inspection, compression was noted on cylinder numbers 1, 2, and 3 when the engine crankshaft was rotated. No compression was noted on the number 4 cylinder. The number 4 exhaust valve was fractured and missing approximately 180-degrees of its valve head. The engine had a total time of 1,996.1 hours and had accumulated 537.1 hours since its last overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.