Mark C Pauls RV-7A N411AK

Summary

On 25 August 2013 at about 19:22 local time, a Mark C Pauls RV-7A registered N411AK, operated by Mark C Pauls, was involved in an accident near Cortland, New York, 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

25 August 2013 at 19:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Cortland, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Cortland County Arpt (N03)

Coordinates

42.5925, -76.2147

Aircraft

Mark C Pauls RV-7A

Registration

N411AK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mark C Pauls

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cortland → Cortland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13CA375

1 person had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power during go-around due to incorrect maintenance of the fuel system by the pilot/builder.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was also the owner/builder of the amateur-built experimental airplane. He had removed and reinstalled the engine after the airplane experienced a propeller strike. The accident flight was the first flight after the engine was reinstalled. According to the pilot, he performed high-speed taxi runs, followed by a normal takeoff. After takeoff, the pilot climbed to altitude and confirmed the flight controls were functioning properly. He then entered the airport traffic pattern and on his first attempt to land, he performed a go-around. On his second attempt to land, the pilot reported that everything seemed normal, but he was fast on the approach and decided to add power for another go-around. The engine didn’t respond, so he proceeded straight ahead and secured the engine. The airplane landed past the departure end of the runway in a grassy area. The nose wheel dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination by Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and the castle nut that attached the throttle arm to the fuel servo was missing a cotter pin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.