Catchot HAULER N301A

Summary

On 1 April 1997 at about 22:22 local time, a Catchot HAULER registered N301A was involved in an accident near Centerville, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 April 1997 at 22:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Centerville, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

32.9504, -87.1290

Aircraft

Catchot HAULER

Registration

N301A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bessemer → Wiggins

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL97LA053

1 person had minor injuries.

the engine manufacturer's failure to install ballast resistors in the ignition system, which resulted in an electrical short in the dual ignition system and subsequent loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that takeoff and climb to 2000 feet were normal. He said that about 20 minutes after takeoff, smoke filled the cockpit. He also noticed that the engine tachometer needle had dropped to zero and the engine had lost power. The pilot, selected a nearby field for an emergency landing. The airplane collided with two trees short of the intended touchdown point. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the engine was equipped with a dual electronic ignition system. Two three-ohm coils were to have been installed on the engine (at the manufacturer) as the ignition source instead of magnetos. Examination of the coil assemblies disclosed that both assemblies had shorted and that they were not functional. Subsequent research disclosed that the three-ohm coils also require the installation of a two-ohm ballast resistor into the ignition system. No ballast resistors were installed on N301A. Also, no airworthiness certificate had been issued for this airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.