Larsen MARK V N87JL

Summary

On 12 April 2014 at about 14:45 local time, a Larsen MARK V registered N87JL was involved in an accident near Amelia, Ohio, United States. 2 people were 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

12 April 2014 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Amelia, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Clermont County Airport (I69)

Coordinates

39.0464, -84.2708

Aircraft

Larsen MARK V

Registration

N87JL

Category

Airplane

Year built

1995

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Batavia → French Lick

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA195

Nobody was injured.

The distributor failure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the engine experienced a sudden and total loss of power during cruise climb. He was unable to restart the engine by isolating the ignition systems and the two fuel pumps. The propeller would rotate while he engaged the starter, but the engine would not restart. Subsequently, the pilot completed a forced landing on a nearby golf course. After an uneventful touchdown on a fairway, the airplane collided with a sand bunker that preceded the green. A postaccident examination revealed that the experimental amateur-built airplane was equipped with a converted automobile engine that had two ignition systems. The two ignition systems combined at a common distributor before terminating at the spark plugs. Although both ignition coils provided voltage while the engine crankshaft was rotated, a corresponding spark was not produced at the individual spark plugs. An examination of the distributor assembly revealed that the electrode contact had separated from the distributor rotor, which would have resulted in an immediate and total loss of engine power and prevented the engine from being restarted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.