Finn Lassen RV-4 N214FL

Summary

On 9 November 2024 at about 16:02 local time, a Finn Lassen RV-4 registered N214FL was involved in an accident near O'Brien, Florida, 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

9 November 2024 at 16:02

Classification

Accident

Location

O'Brien, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

O'brien Airpark East/West (FD71)

Coordinates

30.0490, -82.9037

Aircraft

Finn Lassen RV-4

Registration

N214FL

Category

Airplane

Year built

2020

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bell → McAlpin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA056

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power and navigational equipment as a result of a faulty battery.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that approximately 7 miles from his destination airport, he reduced the engine power to descend when, “suddenly everything went dark” and the engine lost all power. The automotive automotive-style powerplant ignition system is was dependent upon the airplane’s battery system. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot attempted a forced landing in a field. The pilot was unable to operate the electrically electrically-driven flaps, and as a result, he over flew a series of hay fields before touching down in a third field. The airplane approached a barbed wire fence at the end of the field, so the pilot attempted to steer away from it, . however, theThe right wing and main landing gear dug into the terrain and spun the airplane around. Substantial damage to the airplane fuselage resulted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot found that the airplane’s battery hadwas having intermittent voltage drops as a result of an internal crack in the bridge between cells.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.