Mas Events NEMESIS F-WNXT

Summary

On 24 January 2012 at about 23:52 local time, a Mas Events NEMESIS registered F-WNXT was involved in an accident near Camarillo, 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.

Date

24 January 2012 at 23:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Camarillo, California, United States

Nearest airport

Camarillo Airport (CMA)

Coordinates

34.2061, -119.1244

Aircraft

Mas Events NEMESIS

Registration

F-WNXT

Category

Airplane

Year built

2010

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Camarillo → Camarillo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA081

1 person had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight due to incorrectly installed airframe components, which came into contact with a high pressure fuel line and resulted in its failure. Contributing to the accident was an undetermined failure of the primary landing gear extension system that could not be identified due to extensive damage.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a series of performance tests at cruise altitude, the engine of the experimental amateur-built airplane began to vibrate and lose partial power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot initiated a return to the departure airport. During the landing approach, he was unable to extend the landing gear with either the primary or backup systems. He attempted to perform a go-around; however, the airplane would not climb and he instead performed a forced landing into an adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage and both wings during the accident sequence, precluding a determination of the failure mode of the primary landing gear extension system. While the pilot reported that the backup system did not operate because he failed to positively disconnect a circuit breaker required for the system's operation, the failure of the primary landing system was not evident until late in the accident sequence and a go-around was not feasible. Examination of the engine revealed that the high pressure fuel injection lines had been in contact with airframe components, contrary to recommendations in the manufacturer's maintenance manual. This contact increased the stress on one of the lines, causing fatigue cracks to develop, which ultimately led to its failure and loss of fuel flow into one of the engine cylinders.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.