Pzl 101A N69NV

Summary

On 25 March 2007 at about 15:58 local time, a Pzl 101A registered N69NV was involved in an accident near Spicewood, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 March 2007 at 15:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Spicewood, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Spicewood (88R)

Coordinates

30.4778, -98.1211

Aircraft

Pzl 101A

Registration

N69NV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spicewood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07LA087

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power due to water contamination in the fuel system. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The vintage experimental airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff during the first flight of the day. The 9,000-hour private pilot attempted to execute a left-hand pattern to land opposite direction on the runway. The 285-horsepower 9 cylinder radial engine sustained an additional reduction of power which the pilot was unable to correct. The pilot elected to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane in a group of trees located straight ahead of his flight path. The pilot and passenger were able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the wreckage by the pilot revealed that the auxiliary fuel tank selector lever was in the open position; however, he had insured that the selector was in the closed position during his pre-flight inspection. The pilot suspects that water had contaminated the fuel in the auxiliary tanks resulting in the loss of engine power. The airplane had approximately 80 gallons of fuel aboard at the time of the mishap.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.