Quarnoccio AVID FLYER N399Q

Summary

On 13 July 2013 at about 23:30 local time, a Quarnoccio AVID FLYER registered N399Q was involved in an accident near White City, Oregon, United States. One person was 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

13 July 2013 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

White City, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Beagle Skyranch (OR96)

Coordinates

42.5600, -122.9207

Aircraft

Quarnoccio AVID FLYER

Registration

N399Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1990

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

White City → White City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13LA363

Nobody was injured.

Excessive engine operating temperature, which resulted in engine failure and a forced landing. The reason for the excessive engine operating temperature could not be determined during postaccident engine examination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he departed in the experimental amateur-built airplane and that, during climbout, he noticed that the engine coolant temperature was above normal and continuing to rise, so he initiated a turnback toward the airport. The pilot retarded the throttle slightly and leveled off, but the temperature continued to rise. The airplane crossed the runway midfield and then entered the downwind leg. The engine rpm dropped, and the engine began running roughly and then quit as the pilot began turning the airplane onto the base leg. The pilot recognized that he would be unable to reach the runway, so he selected a field short of the threshold for a forced landing. The pilot intentionally stalled the airplane a few feet above the ground to touch down sooner because he wouldn't be able to clear a fence ahead. The airplane landed hard, and the main landing gear bungees failed. The airplane then struck the fence. The investigation could not determine why the engine coolant operating temperature reported by the pilot exceeded the engine manufacturer's maximum operating temperature or the accuracy of the installed engine temperature indication system. However, the timing of the pilot's observation of unusual coolant temperature and the subsequent loss of engine power support an engine overtemperature-related problem; postaccident engine examination was unable to determine the reason for the coolant overtemperature.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.