NTSB Factual Report

On August 19, 2014, about 1700 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Franke Sky Raider airplane, N65692, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power after takeoff from a private airstrip near Bethel, Ohio. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at time of the accident.

The pilot reported that he departed from the private airstrip toward the west. The airstrip was located on a farm, which was bordered by 50-foot tall trees. He stated that the engine lost power during the initial climb before the airplane had sufficient altitude to clear the tree line in his flight path. In an attempt to avoid the trees, he initiated a left turn with the intention of landing in the farm field. The pilot did not recall any further events related to the accident. However, he did note that the turn may have resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

The airplane came to rest inverted, oriented on a west heading. Ground impact scars were located about 15 feet north of the main wreckage. The nose was crushed aft and fragmented. The right wing had separated from the fuselage at the root; it was located adjacent to the fuselage at the accident site. The right wing exhibited damage at the wing tip and root. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage; the outboard one-half span was crushed aft. All flight controls remained attached to the airframe and the control cables were intact. The elevator control rod was fractured near the forward end, in the vicinity of the cockpit control stick. The appearance of the fracture surface was consistent with an overstress failure.

Both wing fuel tanks contained a sufficient quantity of fuel. Visual examination of samples taken from each fuel tank did not reveal the presence of any water or sediment. No anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction with respect to the airframe were observed.

The engine remained attached to the engine mount. The engine mount was deformed consistent with impact forces. Both of the propeller blades had separated from the hub at the blade roots; they were located at the accident site. Internal engine continuity was confirmed through crankshaft rotation, and compression was obtained at each cylinder. The carburetor was separated from the engine, but remained attached by the main fuel line and throttle cable. The carburetor fuel bowl retaining spring clip was dislodged from one of the casting holes. The fuel bowl, floats, and fuel screen had separated from the carburetor and were located in the vicinity of the carburetor. The exterior of the fuel bowl exhibited a cylindrical impression consistent in size to the wire diameter of the retaining spring clip. The fuel bowl did not appear to exhibit any other damage. In addition, the cork gasket on the carburetor housing, intended to seal the fuel bowl to the housing, appeared to be deteriorated condition. No other anomalies were noted with respect to the engine.

The accident airplane was a single-engine, two-place, high wing design, with a conventional (tailwheel) landing gear configuration. It was powered a 40-horsepower Rotax 447 SCDI two cylinder, two stroke, engine. The airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate in November 2007. According to the airworthiness certificate application, the airplane was manufactured in 2001 and had accumulated 45 hours at the time of the application. (It was being certificated as an existing aircraft that did not meet the requirements for an ultralight aircraft.) According to the pilot's statement, the airplane had accumulated about 85 hours total time at the time of the accident. The most recent condition inspection was completed in March 2014, with about 1 hour flight time since that inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadvertent aerodynamic stall while maneuvering after a loss of engine power during initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the investigation could not determine during postaccident examination whether any anomalies existed prior to the accident.