Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B N3129
14 January 2009 · Los Olivos, California, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 14 January 2009 at about 22:25 local time, a Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B registered N3129 was involved in an accident near Los Olivos, California, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 22:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Los Olivos, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.7006, -120.1128
- Aircraft
- Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B
- Registration
- N3129
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Los Olivos → Santa Ynez
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR09LA082
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to depart from a road with a known unresolved engine problem.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During a local area flight, the experimental airplane's engine began sputtering. The pilot attempted to rectify the situation by changing fuel tanks, applying carburetor heat, and checking the magnetos. His actions were unsuccessful, and all power was lost. The pilot made a forced landing on a public road. Thereafter, the pilot consulted with a mechanic at his home base airport that was located about 7 miles from the forced landing site. The pilot opined that vapor lock was a likely cause for his loss of engine power. In preparation for takeoff from the road, the pilot performed an engine run-up. The engine appeared to operate normally, and the pilot proceeded to takeoff. Seconds after becoming airborne and gaining at most 50 feet of altitude, the engine again started sputtering. The road curved away from the pilot's flight path, and the pilot opted to descend into trees. The airplane was subsequently recovered and was examined under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supervision. The FAA coordinator reported that no external evidence of a preimpact engine malfunction or anomaly was noted. The engine lost power for undetermined reasons.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 2006 | Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B | Camerson, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2009 | Cessna 172P | Livermore, California, United States | Wollard Aviation Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 10 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-38-112 | Ojai, California, United States | Aviation Pacific Inc | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Fallbrook, California, United States | M.Y. Air Corp | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Mooney M20E | Rio Linda, California, United States | David Michaud | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Nov 2009 | Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 | Torrance, California, United States | Smith Richard Charles | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Piper PA-24-260 | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Kris S Michel | No injuries | - |