Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Friendswood, Texas 77546
Saturday, August 8, 1992 13:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DROP AND AS IT WENT BELOW 2,200 THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE RPM DECREASE CONTINUED THROUGH THE DESCENT AND TOUCHDOWN. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FRIENDSWOOD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77546
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 44
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2225
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2039
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1252
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73VP
NTSB Number FTW92DRA04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Evans Aircraft
Aircraft Model VP-1
Aircraft Series Identifier VP-1
Aircraft Serial Number JL002
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 31 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HUSBAND, BRUCE C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2810 ASH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PEARLAND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77584
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HUSBAND, BRUCE C.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2810 ASH ROAD
Operator City PEARLAND
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77584
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code T02
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1335
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T02
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --