Murphy RENEGADE II N490DJ

Summary

On 5 September 2021 at about 18:23 local time, a Murphy RENEGADE II registered N490DJ was involved in an accident near Sheridan, Illinois, 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

5 September 2021 at 18:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Sheridan, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Cushing Field Ltd Airport (NA)

Coordinates

41.5366, -88.6206

Aircraft

Murphy RENEGADE II

Registration

N490DJ

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

Newark → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA402

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to a piston seizure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger were conducting “fast taxi” operations and did not intend to fly the airplane, but, after the airplane’s tail became airborne, the pilot decided to continue the takeoff. When the airplane was about 500 ft above ground level, he heard a “click” before the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing in a soybean field, during which the airplane nosed over shortly after touchdown. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper right wing and an engine mount tube. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that one of the two pistons, the magneto-side piston, had seized in the cylinder. The piston and cylinder bore exhibited scrape marks consistent with a piston seizure, and piston and ring material was missing with associated batter to the cylinder head, piston dome, and spark plug. The other, power-takeoff piston and cylinder exhibited no evidence of a piston seizure. Other than the magneto-side piston seizure and associated secondary damage, the engine exhibited no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would have prevented normal operation. Thus, the total loss of engine power during initial climb was likely due to the piston seizure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.