Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Glenwood, Florida 32722
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 10:28 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The amateur-built airplane was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet above ground level when it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the landing. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel control unit (FCU) condition lever was 20 degrees out of its run position. Further examination of the condition lever revealed that the condition lever’s outer cable had been improperly installed, which allowed the uncommanded aft movement of the condition lever, which could result in a loss of engine power. A broken engine mount, which was likely the result of impact-related forces, was also found. This broken engine mount resulted in a slight turbine misalignment. When the turbine was realigned, the FCU condition lever settings were normal. The engine was subsequently started and operated normally with no irregular noises or hesitation. According to the engine manufacturer’s representative, if the condition lever had been installed properly, there should have been no such movement of the condition lever.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The total loss of engine power due to the airplane builder’s improper installation of the fuel control unit condition lever cables, which resulted in the airplane’s subsequent forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/27/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1028 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Glenwood |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32722 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1038 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 34 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.85 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31791 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 12 2013 1:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3YZ |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA417 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LUTERS ARNIS V |
| Aircraft Model | LEGEND |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2024 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 27 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4 |
| Airframe Hours | 177 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aircraft Guaranty Corp Trustee |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 2549 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Onalaska |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77360 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Klaus Plasa |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | GE |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | DED |
| Departure City | Deland |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1024 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ORF |
| Destination City | Norfolk |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 12 2013 1:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |