Rexbury-Madison County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rexburg, Idaho 83440
Thursday, December 21, 2006 15:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was being conducted as a maintenance test flight after an engine change. After a second touch-and-go, the engine quite at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet agl, but then resumed operation. The pilot elected to make a tight traffic pattern in order to make it back to the runway, but after the engine quit a second time and restarted, the pilot realized that he wouldn't be able to make the runway and elected to land with the landing gear extended on a highway median. The aircraft impacted terrain with the left wing, subsequently cartwheeling before coming to rest inverted. No anomalies were reported with the airplane prior to the flight. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Rexburg
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83440
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434936N
Event Location Longitude 1114841W
Event Location Airport Rexbury-Madison County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RXE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4858
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21325
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2007 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N251RM
NTSB Number SEA07LA037
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Cavalier Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model F51D Mustang
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 67-22579
Certified Max Gross Weight 11600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1143
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 251 RM, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Rexbury
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83440
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John K. Bagley
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Rexburg
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83440
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Flight Test
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RXE
Departure City Rexburg
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RXE
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2007 12:09PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --