Boeing A75N1 (PT17) N44SN

Summary

On 2 July 2015 at about 01:30 local time, a Boeing A75N1 (PT17) registered N44SN, operated by James W. Miller, was involved in an accident near Louisburg, Kansas, 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

2 July 2015 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Louisburg, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Random Ranch (NONE)

Coordinates

38.5625, -94.6253

Aircraft

Boeing A75N1 (PT17)

Registration

N44SN

Category

Airplane

Year built

1941

Engines

1

Operator

James W. Miller

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Random Ranch → Paola

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA294

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had been demonstrating the airplane to a prospective buyer, and they took a break from flying to talk. The pilot reported that he returned to the airplane, started the engine, and taxied it to the south end of the airstrip. He did not perform an engine run-up and did not use carburetor heat. He further stated that, when the airplane was 20 to 30 ft above the ground about midpoint of the 2,000-ft-long dry, grass runway, "it became evident" that the engine power was insufficient because the airplane had stopped climbing. The pilot said that the engine was turning but that it was not producing "as much power." The airplane's nose was high, and the pilot did not see the approaching power lines. The airplane struck and severed the power lines, nosed down, and impacted a cornfield at the north end of the field. At the time of the accident, the temperature and dew point were conducive for the accumulation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power settings. When asked about the possibility of carburetor ice, the pilot said he did not believe it was likely to have been a factor because the hot engine had only been shut down for about 30 minutes and it had only idled for a couple of minutes before takeoff. Further, the engine was operating at takeoff power, so it is unlikely that carburetor icing caused the loss of engine power. No anomalies were noted during the examination of the airframe and engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.