Wilburn JODEL F-12 N722Z

Summary

On 27 January 2002 at about 19:00 local time, a Wilburn JODEL F-12 registered N722Z was involved in an accident near Clarksville, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 January 2002 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Clarksville, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Marks Municipal Airport (W63)

Coordinates

36.5972, -78.5597

Aircraft

Wilburn JODEL F-12

Registration

N722Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clarksville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD02LA028

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed after a loss of engine power, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Also causal, was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was performing a local familiarization flight, just after the airplane had been returned to an airworthy condition after an engine overhaul and propeller replacement. A witness about 1 1/2 miles from the airport reported that the airplane's engine was not running, then appeared restart as the airplane passed by. He subsequently saw the airplane bank sharply to the right, then descend out of view. Another witness, who had just landed, saw the airplane approach the airport, then bank to the right, and disappear below a tree line. He also noted that the airplane "did not seem to have the power it needed to stay airborne." A test run performed on the engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies, and a carburetor icing probability chart indicated a possibility of serious icing at glide power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.