NTSB Factual Report

On June 16, 2012, about 1250 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur built, Lane Barney Oldfield Aircraft Company, Baby Lakes, airplane, N10XB, registered to and operated by an individual, sustained substantial damage after a total loss of engine power and impact with the ground near Anderson Regional Airport (AND), Anderson, South Carolina. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91, personal flight. The flight was originating at that time of the accident.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and noted four quarts of oil in the engine, 10 gallons of fuel, and no anomalies noted. The pilot hand propped the engine, allowed it to warm up, and performed an engine run-up check of the magnetos and carburetor heat function with no abnormalities noted. He stated that he did not recall the oil pressure of the engine during the engine run-up. The pilot taxied to runway 05, announced his departure on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), lined up on the runway centerline, and then applied full power. When the airspeed reached 40 mph, the tail came up off the ground, and at 60 mph, the main landing gear came off the runway. At that point he noted the engine rpm was less than 2,400, and he ensured that the throttle was full forward. He leveled the airplane at 100 feet above the ground, but the engine rpm remained at 2,400; when normally it was about 2,600 rpm. The pilot continued straight and level, and once the airplane was near the departure end of the runway, he turned for a precautionary landing on the intersecting runway. The pilot maneuvered the airplane in a 45-degree bank, and the engine rpm decreased to 2,200 rpm. He continued the turn, announced on the CTAF his intention to land, and noted the engine’s tachometer was at 2,100 rpm. Shortly after, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot announced a “deadstick landing” on the CTAF and searched for a place to land. The airplane cleared trees that were in the flight path, impacted the ground, and nosed over before coming rest inverted. He secured the fuel, turned off the magnetos, and waited for assistance to exit the airplane.

A wreckage examination by the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found fuel present in the carburetor. In addition, there was no engine oil observed in the oil sump, there was no evidence of an engine oil leak, and no oil was observed at the accident site.

A postaccident engine examination with FAA oversight revealed that engine continuity was confirmed from the front of the engine to the accessory section by rotating the propeller by hand with some resistance noted. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders and both magnetos generated spark. All spark plugs were removed and all were light gray in color and exhibited normal wear. Oil came out of the No. 4 cylinder when the bottom spark plug was removed. The engine was removed from the engine mounts and the crankcase was opened. The crankshaft was unable to be rotated by hand until the main bearings were removed. The rear and center bearings of the crankshaft were grooved and black stains were noted. The camshaft rotated freely with no resistance. The oil tank was removed and about a quarter cup of oil was drained from the tank. The oil screen was removed and few contaminants were noted. A magnet was placed across the oil screen and no ferrous metal particles were noted. The oil pump was intact, rotated freely, and the gears were examined with no anomalies noted.

According to the pilot, construction on the airplane began in the early 1990s and was completed in 2008. The airplane was equipped with a Continental A-80, 80 horsepower engine that was last overhauled in 1980. At the time of the overhaul, the engine had accumulated 570 hours of total time. At the time of the accident, the most recent conditional inspection was performed on June 27, 2011, and at that time the airplane had accumulated 50 hours of total time. The most recent oil change was performed on November 22, 2011.

According to the engine operations and maintenance manual, the maximum oil capacity is four quarts of oil. In addition, there must be at least two quarts of oil in the engine for operation.

NTSB Probable Cause

A total loss of engine power as a result of an inadequate amount of lubricating oil in the engine. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper preflight inspection.