Crawford RV-7 N19MM

Summary

On 24 June 2018 at about 14:20 local time, a Crawford RV-7 registered N19MM was involved in an accident near Alexander City, Alabama, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2018 at 14:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Alexander City, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Thomas C Russell Fld (ALX)

Coordinates

32.9289, -85.9694

Aircraft

Crawford RV-7

Registration

N19MM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Alexander City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA177

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight in the airplane since he thought the condition inspection was completed. He found out after the accident that the mechanic had not completed the condition inspection nor signed off the maintenance logbook. The mechanic reported that he still had several questions that needed to be answered. The pilot stated that he took off for the personal, cross-country flight and then flew the airplane for 45 minutes. He added that, when the airplane reached 2,000 ft above ground level and he reduced the throttle, the engine “popped” twice and then lost all power. He looked at the fuel gauges, verified that sufficient fuel was onboard, and switched the selector valve to the other tank. The pilot did not believe that the airplane could glide to the runway at the destination airport, so he chose to land the airplane in a field. During the approach, the airplane impacted tree tops and power lines and then terrain. A postcrash fire ensued, which consumed most of the cockpit and forward portion of the airframe. Examination of the engine, which exhibited fire damage but was intact, revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.