Jordan Don R VANS RV-6A N6DJ

Summary

On 15 April 2009 at about 00:15 local time, a Jordan Don R VANS RV-6A registered N6DJ was involved in an accident near Arlington, Texas, 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

15 April 2009 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.6894, -97.1902

Aircraft

Jordan Don R VANS RV-6A

Registration

N6DJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Arlington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA250

1 person had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to the failure of both magnetos. Contributing to the accident was the lack of preventative maintenance/inspection of the magnetos.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight, the single-engine airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. During the forced landing, the airplane's nose wheel dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest in an inverted position. An on-site examination revealed both wing fuel tanks contained a considerable amount of fuel. Continuity to the back of the engine was confirmed. The engine was equipped with two single (left and right) magnetos, with the left magneto having an impulse coupling. The magneto's "p-leads", were disconnected and the engine rotated by hand; electric "spark" was not observed at the ignition leads. Further examination of the magnetos disclosed that they had "open" [bad] coils; and therefore produced little, if any, ignition spark. The magnetos were manufactured in 1991, and there was no maintenance record of any overhaul/maintenance preformed on the magnetos. According to the manufacturer, the magneto's coil, points, condenser, and brushes are to inspected every 500 hours and the magneto must be overhauled when the engine is overhauled.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.