Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Oak Grove, Louisiana 71263
Monday, November 19, 2012 8:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident occurred during the pilot’s first flight in the light sport airplane that he had recently purchased. A witness reported seeing the airplane flying toward the runway before it disappeared from sight; the engine sound stopped, and the witness immediately heard a crash. The airplane collided with a tree, before impacting the ground in a nose-down, left–wing-low attitude. The airplane was equipped with a ballistic parachute system; however, the parachute was not deployed and the safety pin was found still installed in the parachute's firing handle with the “remove before flight” tag still attached.
The airplane was equipped with an electric fuel pump, which was installed in series with the engine-driven fuel pump. The engine manufacturer's manual states the following: "If the fuel tank is considerably lower than the engine, an electric pump should be used; this pump is to be connected in parallel as in case of series-connection the fuel pressure would be excessive." The fuel pump installed on the engine was identified as one typically used on two-stroke engines. The engine technician noted that this style fuel pump did not have bleed holes in it, which may make it prone to hydro-lock. The paper in-line fuel filter appeared dirty and had contaminates in it. According to the installation manual, a "suitable fuel filter…must be fitted between pump and carburetor. Do not use paper filters." Although the examination noted these abnormalities, none of them were identified as the specific reason for the loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The total loss of engine power, the specific cause of which could not be identified during the postaccident examination, and the airplane’s subsequent impact with trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/19/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 830 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Oak Grove |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 71263 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323032N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0925038W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | 835 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBQP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.34 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32035 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2013 1:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4031Q |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA063 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | REDD TOM |
| Aircraft Model | QUICKSILVER GT 400 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1444 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jerry Swafford |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Delhi |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 71232 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Randy Capers |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Oak Grove |
| Operator State | ME |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 71263 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Oak Grove |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Oak Grove |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2013 3:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |