Thomas R Wade REVELATION N783QJ

Summary

On 13 December 2014 at about 20:40 local time, a Thomas R Wade REVELATION registered N783QJ was involved in an accident near Ellisville, Mississippi, 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

13 December 2014 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Ellisville, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Hesler-Noble Field (LUL)

Coordinates

31.6078, -89.1978

Aircraft

Thomas R Wade REVELATION

Registration

N783QJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laurel → Laurel

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA077

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the uncertified engine's front connecting rod needle bearing, which resulted in damage to the front piston and a subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane with the uncertified engine over a town that had no suitable area to land.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while in cruise flight over a town, the engine lost total power. During the forced landing to a cemetery, the airplane's left wing struck a tree, and the airplane then veered left and impacted a tombstone and nosed over. The pilot further reported that the fuel tank was about 3/4 full when the engine lost power. Examination of the engine revealed that the front connecting rod needle bearing had failed, which resulted in damage to the front piston and led to the loss of engine power. The engine manufacturer's instruction and maintenance manual warned that the engine was uncertified and that it was "subject to sudden failure." The manual further warned to "never use an aircraft fitted with this engine in areas, conditions and altitudes that may cause problems if forced to land as a result of sudden engine failure." The pilot should not have operated the airplane with the uncertified engine over a town that had no suitable place to land in the event of an engine failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.