McCleery RANS S6ES N623LB

Summary

On 25 September 2012 at about 16:15 local time, a McCleery RANS S6ES registered N623LB, operated by Gallagher John P, was involved in an accident near Elverta, California, 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

25 September 2012 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Elverta, California, United States

Coordinates

38.2811, -121.4833

Aircraft

McCleery RANS S6ES

Registration

N623LB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gallagher John P

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elverta → Elverta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA437

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power during initial climb due to a failed piston ring.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff for his practical test for a sport pilot certificate, when the airplane was about 100 ft above ground level, the engine lost power. He then began an emergency descent to a nearby field. During the landing, the airplane collided with a dirt berm and subsequently nosed over. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed damage to both the forward and aft cylinder assemblies. The aft cylinder assembly's top piston ring was missing, and damage was noted to the associated ring land groove and piston. The lower piston ring was in place; however, the piston ring was distorted and jammed in its corresponding ring land groove. Mechanical-type damage was noted on the internal cylinder domes and piston faces of both the forward and aft cylinder assemblies, and the damage was consistent with pieces of the broken piston ring contacting the cylinder domes. The reason for the piston ring failure could not be determined. Postaccident review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed multiple entries outlining repairs to both the forward and aft cylinder assemblies; most of the repairs were associated with piston ring anomalies. One maintenance log entry indicated that the both the forward and aft cylinder assemblies' piston rings were replaced and that the cylinders were resurfaced due to "overheat damage."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.