Clermont County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Amelia, Ohio 45102
Saturday, April 12, 2014 10:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the engine experienced a sudden and total loss of power during cruise climb. He was unable to restart the engine by isolating the ignition systems and the two fuel pumps. The propeller would rotate while he engaged the starter, but the engine would not restart. Subsequently, the pilot completed a forced landing on a nearby golf course. After an uneventful touchdown on a fairway, the airplane collided with a sand bunker that preceded the green. A postaccident examination revealed that the experimental amateur-built airplane was equipped with a converted automobile engine that had two ignition systems. The two ignition systems combined at a common distributor before terminating at the spark plugs. Although both ignition coils provided voltage while the engine crankshaft was rotated, a corresponding spark was not produced at the individual spark plugs. An examination of the distributor assembly revealed that the electrode contact had separated from the distributor rotor, which would have resulted in an immediate and total loss of engine power and prevented the engine from being restarted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The distributor failure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise climb.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/2014
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Amelia
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45102
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390247N
Event Location Longitude 0841615W
Event Location Airport Clermont County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID I69
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 236
Airport Elevation 843
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 295
Weather Observation Facility ID LUK
Elevation of weather observation facility 482
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KLUK 121453Z 17007KT 10SM FEW046 18/11 A3015
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33052
NTSB Notification Source CEN Duty Officer, Jennifer Rod
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2014 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87JL
NTSB Number CEN14LA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LARSEN
Aircraft Model MARK V
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number .001
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 710
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Karla Goodhouse
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Lebanon
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62254
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Karla Goodhouse
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lebanon
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 62254
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 No
Departure Airport Code I69
Departure City Batavia
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FRH
Destination City French Lick
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2014 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --